Strings of Fate
by Lion Knight
Summary: SquallRinoa. What if an action in your past created the path for your future. Squall must now face this dilema, as he chooses his fate along with that of others. Sorry not real good at summaries.
1. Woman of Destiny

This is a regular disclaimer, I don't own any of the character from Final Fantasy, and the characters are the property of Square Enix. The only characters that are mine are the ones I create to go into this story. So please don't sue me that would be unlucky.

Chapter 1 – Woman of Destiny

Within the shadows of the moonless night the dark knight moved stealthily across the rocky terrain of the cliff's edge. He stopped by a boulder to survey the encampment of the young sorceress and her soldiers of light. Squall studied the guards that were posted around the camp for the night and smiled thinking "this is to easy."

Squall made his way down the face of the cliff by climbing down a crevice which emptied into the valley below. "Soldiers of light, whatever, they are all just murders" he mockingly observed. "They all deserve to die, my vow has not changed" he said quietly before he reached the base of the cliff. Peering out of the shadows of the crevice he watched as the rear guard paced back and forth over their designated paths. Squall watched from the shadows gauging the time it took them to get to end of their route before returning.

Yuri kept a vigilant watch over the camp's exposed flank, facing out into the open field "I wish there was a moon tonight, it would make it harder for someone to infiltrate" he thought. Looking over his shoulder at the two men forming the rear guard, he noticed the way the light from their camp's fire lit up the face of the cliff. "They have it easy tonight no one would ever be able to sneak up on them with the fire light reflecting off the cliff," he said to himself. Secretly wishing he had been given the rear guard tonight, but he wasn't that lucky.

Squall quickly slipped past the rear guard to the sorceress's tent, which was strategically placed in the rear of the camp believing that no one would be able to attack from the rear because of the cliff's natural barrier. Kneeling down with his hand on the hilt of his blade, sheathed by his side, he scanned the surroundings to make sure he hadn't been seen.

The guards were still marching away from Squall's position with their backs to him; "this really is too easy," he thought with malice. "Now all I have left to do is carry out the sentence handed down to the sorceress".

Using the knife sheathed on his right forearm, Squall cut a hole into the side of the tent just enough to glance inside to survey the tent's contents and who was within it. He saw the Sorceress Rinoa's sleeping form on the far side of the tent and no one else within. She was asleep just past the tent's center post and there was no evidence of any weapons within her reach, "the time of redemption for your deeds has come, with the ending of your life" his thought almost eagerly. Now was his chance to complete his assignment and slip away.

Squall continued to cut the hole until he could fit through, then slowly he made his way toward Rinoa scanning the small room with every step he took. Once at the bed side of his target he pulled out his sword prepared to plunge the blade into her chest, bringing an end to her blood lust and tyranny.

All he had to do was to bring the blade down and end her life, but now that his eyes fell upon her he found himself questioning everything he had been told. How could this beauty sleeping before him be a merciless witch that killed for pleasure?

She looked so innocent lying there unaware of Squall's presence; her raven hair cascades over her shoulders like the pitch black night, softly outlining the gentle features of her face while she slept.

Rinoa awoke when she heard the tearing of cloth but didn't think anything of it at first. Being a sorceress she had heightened senses, "it's probably just an old section of the tent tearing from the wind." her mind tried to reason. "Then why has it started to tear again" her mind yelled at her as fear grasped her heart. Then she picked up the faint sounds of breathing, "someone's in here, what do they want, am I going to die, should I scream, or will they just leave if I am quiet?" the thoughts ran through her mind faster than she could sort them out. It didn't matter now he was right next to her no matter what she did now she wouldn't be able to get away.

Rinoa heard a sword slide out of its sheath, "I am going to die, I am going to die, I don't want to die, someone help me please" her mind pleaded in silent sobs as a tear slowly formed for when she cried out her last breath.

As Squall's eyes continued to look upon Rinoa he could not find the murderous vision he had expected to find. What he saw instead was a young woman with alabaster skin that was framed with raven black hair. He watched as her inviting lips moved just slightly in her sleep, they looked so soft so inviting. Even though he believed she was asleep, he swore that it looked as if a tear was forming in the corner of her eye. "How could she do what she is being accused of? How?" his heart asked, but his mind wanted nothing to do with it. "Do your job, the whys and hows are none of your concern. ... the only thing that should concern you is **that** **you carry out her execution**" his mind demanded.

Rinoa listened carefully trying to figure out what was going on. "What are they doing, why hasn't anything happened" she wondered. She heard his light breathing start to become heavier with every passing second. Then she heard a small clink from his hand grasping the hilt of his sword, "here it comes, this is it" she thought.

Squall raised his arms up above his head allowing his mind to over power his heart "do your job" his mind screamed again. His arms stayed above his head for a moment and then they came down.

Squall's arms descended but missed their target, dropping to his sides. His heart wouldn't let him kill her, something was wrong this time. He looked down at her; though he moves in the shadows and wears black his heart is purer than those of Rinoa's own soldiers of light.

Squall reached a hand toward Rinoa wanting for some unknown reason to touch her to see if she was real and not just some illusion. Before his finger tips could even graze her shoulder one of her soldiers entered the tent to check on Rinoa. When the soldier saw Squall standing over Rinoa he pulled his sword yelling "intruder", warning the rest of the camp of Squall's presence.

Upon hearing the word "intruder", Rinoa's eyes shot open and for the first time she saw the man sent to be her executioner. He was leaning forward with his left hand extended toward her as if to touch her. She moved away still watching the intruder, but his eyes were fixed on the soldier at the tent's entrance. She looked toward the entrance to see Thomas, one of her personal guards, standing there with sword in hand.

Thomas watched the intruder very closely to make sure he didn't harm Rinoa who was still within striking distance of the intruder's sword. "Drop your sword and move away from the sorceress" Thomas demanded in an anxious voice. The intruder ignored Thomas' demand instead turning back toward the sorceress. "Do it now" Thomas yelled with a slight tremble in his voice fearing the intruder might go after the sorceress.

Rinoa heard Thomas' demand and she watched the intruder curiously to see what he would do next. It was then that her deep chocolate eyes met with stormy blue ones, she saw no fear in them. Thomas was of no concern to him; all of his focus was on her eyes, searching for the answers that his heart demanded. As their eyes locked his eyes betrayed nothing of his thoughts or his feeling they were completely cold. Squall stood and closed his eyes for a moment, as if in thought. Then he tossed his sword up with his right hand flipping the sword into a fighting position.

The soldier meant little to Squall. He could easily dispatch him and carry on with his assignment, but as his eyes met Rinoa's again he lost all will to kill especially in front of her. There was something warm within her curious gaze that affected him.

Squall turned to Thomas with defiance in his eyes, "you want my sword come and take it if you can" he answered Thomas with a deep cold voice. Letting the anger from Squall's response lead his actions, Thomas raised his sword and charged. Thomas brought his sword down aiming for Squall's left shoulder. Squall pivoted on his right foot stepping back easily avoiding the attack, but before he had a chance to counter the attack he caught a glimpse of Rinoa watching him.

When Thomas' anger driven attack failed Rinoa immediately feared for his life, "Oh Hyne, he's going to die ....." she thought. "No" she yelled out, instinctively reaching out her hand as if to grab Thomas hoping she would be able to pull Thomas out of the way. Thomas was too far out of her reach and the intruder was not distracted from his adversary, that showed Rinoa the skill and concentration the dark warrior had.

Squall heard her plea for her soldier's life and **he knew he could not kill in front of her**. Quickly tossing his sword to his left hand, he turned his attention back to the over extended soldier, bringing his right arm across connecting his fist squarely into the soldiers' jaw sending him crashing to the ground. He put his foot on the blade of the downed man's sword. Squall just looked at him with a cold expression as if battle was nothing new to him even though he looked as if he hadn't even reached the age of 20.

Rinoa watched in horror as Thomas was defeated, "he is still alive....why didn't he kill him?" her mind asked. Confused, as to why the dark warrior had not killed her guard, her eyes rose up to meet Squall's gaze. She saw the hardened features of a veteran soldier in the young brown haired warrior before her, but yet his eyes were softer now with an electrifying sense to them.

Outside Yuri, Brent, and Francis had heard Thomas' alarm of an intruder and immediately ran toward Rinoa's tent. When the three soldiers entered the tent Thomas was lying on the ground staring up at his attacker, who was intently watching the sorceress with a captivated gaze.

"What is it about her, why can't I kill her" his mind begged. "Something about the way she is looking at me, she isn't afraid of me even though I am here to kill her, why?" the thought was never answered. Squall was interrupted from his entrancement of the sorceress by the three soldiers that entered the tent with swords already brandished. The new members to the party had immediately moved in Squall's direction.

Rinoa watched as Yuri, Brent, and Francis charged the dark warrior, sure that they would over power him since they out numbered him three to one. Rinoa watched Squall as he took a step back toward the center post of her tent and turning quickly cutting the tent's rigging. As the center of the tent came crashing down, Rinoa watched closely as he dove toward the hole he had cut into the tent. Escaping the tent as it collapsed around him leaving her behind.

Squall reached the hole in the tent as the walls and ceiling came down around him, and quickly surveyed the camp for the rear guard. Seeing none one he assumed they were now trapped under the tent's fabric.

He wasted no time making his way back to the shadows of the crevice in the cliff face. Looking over his shoulder for a brief moment to the collapsed tent where his target was, **where she was**. She is the one and only person he has ever found himself unwilling and incapable of handing down a sentence of death. Something about her stirred within him, was it her eyes or the way she looked at him, the whole situation didn't feel right to him; he had never experienced these sensations before. Doubt and uncertainty had never crossed his mind before, "why with her, why" his mind asked of his heart but no answer was found within. "Something's not right about this, is it me or is it something else" he thought then quickly retreated into the cliffs' darkened passage to the plateau above.

The commotion within Rinoa's tent had woken the entire camp. Seifer Almasy, the Captain of the Soldiers of Light, reached the tent just as Rinoa and the others were crawling out from underneath it.

"What's going on," Seifer yelled at the four men standing around Rinoa. "There was an intruder sir," Yuri answered seeing that the others weren't going to. "And how in the hell did an intruder get into camp, how could you let them get past you" Sefier barked on with rage reverberating in his voice. "He was very skilled sir" Thomas answered, "Oh really" Seifer scoffed. "He better had been or you four are the most worthless soldiers I have **EVER** laid my eyes on". They all lowered their heads, Rinoa stepped in "they did their jobs, I am fine and no one was harmed, settle down Seifer this is getting us nowhere at all" she calmly said.

Seifer moved past the four personal guards eyeing each of them disapprovingly but kept his silence because of Rinoa. "Search the interior camp for the intruder he couldn't have gotten far, send riders out into the fields towards the woods that is the only way he could have escaped" Seifer barked out his order to his men and they quickly responded.

Rinoa stood watching the flames dance on the cliff's face listening intently to the sounds of the night surrounded by her personal guard. "He would not head into an open field....he was too good and too smart to do something like that" she said quietly to no one in particular not thinking anyone would hear her. Yuri turned to her "what makes you say that" he asked questioning her reasons for giving this man so much admiration.

"He easily breached the camp, then made his way into my tent without letting anyone know" she started still watching the dancing light. "So he got lucky" Yuri responded a little edgy about her praise to this man. "And he managed to escape..." she continued but was cut off "so what does that prove" Yuri interjected. "He managed to escape, without killing anyone or getting aggravated with being caught, just ask Thomas he could have just as easily killed him and myself before any of you could have made it in" she said calmly no fear from the event evident in her voice. Yuri looked at her; she didn't seem bothered at all about this, none of this seemed to bother her at all. "Thomas, is this true?" Yuri asked. "It's true Yuri, when you saw me on the ground I had let my emotions get the better of me and attacked out of anger. He had the perfect opportunity to kill me at any time before you arrived, on top of that there is no telling how long he was in the tent before I arrived to check on the sorceress" Thomas answer in a low embarrassed tone.

Rinoa was listening closely to see if she could hear her attacker making his way from the camp, but she heard nothing he was lost to the shadows from whence he had come.

Just above her at the cliff's rocky edge Squall watched Rinoa for a moment. "The General isn't going to like this I didn't kill her, but there is something about her, I will find out the truth and will return" he stood up from his position behind a boulder. "To either bring you back with me or to kill you, but I will make that decision for myself" Squall said quietly as he turned and headed off into the forest atop the cliff's plateau.

Seifer stood at the edge of the camp watching as his riders headed in out in every direction toward the woods that surrounded the camp. "How could those morons let an intruder into camp ... not only into camp but into Rinoa's tent" Seifer fumed. Marcus, his second in command walked up and saluted Seifer "sir, the riders haven't found any trace of the intruder what would you like to do" he said calmly. Seifer looked at Marcus and then turned to look at the open fields and woods. "Marcus assemble the all the men and call back the riders" Seifer ordered. "Yes sir" Marcus answered and turned heading off to carry out the new orders.

"Oh I will find the intruder no matter what it takes" Seifer thought to himself and smirked "and when I do he will regret ever stepping foot in my camp."

Seifer walked into the center of the camp where the men had been assembled together. "Men we are going to pursue the intruder, we need to find out who sent him and what their plans are" Seifer paused for a moment. "I am going to take 100 of you with me in pursuit of the intruder; the rest will go with Marcus to escort the Sorceress Rinoa to the Castle Straum in Timber."

"Do you understand?" Seifer asked his men. They responded with a resounding "yes sir." "Then get ready to move, break camp we will be heading out at day break" he ordered. His men yelled out a cheer and headed off to prepare for the morning departure.

Rinoa watched and listened to Seifer as he gave his orders to his soldiers. Although she understood why they wanted to go after the intruder something about the thought of him brought a strange ease to her heart. This confused her. What was it about him that plagued her mind? He had come to kill her. Although he was seen as an assassin by the members of her camp, there was a pain within his eyes that told her differently. It was this pain that told her heart "he won't kill you; he will be the one that will keep you safe both physically and emotionally". This brought an inner division between her heart and mind. Her logic knew what his assignment had been, "he was here for your life not to protect it. What do you think you're trying to do find your lost soul within a man that is hollow of all emotion" her mind scolded back. But then again he had also stopped himself for some reason, or more than likely she would be died.

Rinoa was broken from her inner conflict when Yuri approached her, "we should get your carriage ready as well" he said watching her come out of her thoughts. She just nodded her response to him and the two headed off toward her collapsed tent.

Squall reached the entrance to the Forest of the Moon in a matter of seconds. After reaching the tree line he continued to run ahead for about 50 feet into the forest. As he came closer to his destination he saw a large animal waiting patiently for his return.

Upon closer examination Squall smiled, in front of him stood a friend that had been with him through many missions and hard times. The grey and white mustang stallion stood tall against the wooded background. Squall slowed down to a walk as he approached the horse. Traveler watched Squall closely, almost as if he sensed the uneasiness his owner felt. Squall gently put his hand on the neck of the horse and stroking the smooth coat and long grey mane. "My friend, I have failed in my mission tonight, I couldn't kill her" Squall said as if the horse new exactly what he was saying. Traveler raised his head and gave a soft huff, as if he understood Squall's declaration of failure. "I'm not sure but I don't think she did what they said she did" he continued "but I'm going to find out old friend, one way or another."

Squall moved around to Traveler's side and pulled himself onto the saddle, patting the horse's neck again as he pulled on the reigns. The horse turned around and trotted off deeper into the forest. Riding Traveler it didn't take long for Squall to reach a clearing in the center of forest. As he came closer to the edge of the clearing Squall could make out the light of a fire coming through the fog rising up in the forest.

Squall dismounted Traveler and walked into the clearing, seeing two figures sitting around a fire Squall stopped putting his hand on the hilt of his sword.

Even before Irvine and Zell could see Squall they heard the hoofs of a horse coming towards them. Irvine put his hand on his bow and Zell clinched his fists. Once Squall entered the clearing though they dropped their guard, "well look who has finally decided to come back" Zell said sarcastically. "So how did it go" Irvine asked, Squall didn't answer, but instead looked up into the dark sky. "Well?" Zell pressed, but still no response. "You did finish the mission didn't you?" Irvine asked, "The mission is done" Squall answered dryly.

"You can't fool us Squall, what's wrong" Zell asked. "We have been with you to long, to fall for your evasive answers" Irvine added. "The mission is done" Squall reiterated with anger edging his voice. "Our mission was to kill the sorceress. Are you saying that Rinoa is dead? " Irvine asked. "**Our** mission" Squall scoffed, "I went in alone, where were the two of you?" "The same place we always are, prepared to back you up if needed" Zell answered "so what's your problem then, because this is not about you going in alone?"

Squall took a breath "I couldn't kill her" he said quietly hoping they wouldn't hear him. "What happened, what went wrong?" Zell asked. "Nothing" Squall sighed, "I snuck in easy enough and then made my way into her tent". "What happened after you got into the tent" Irvine interrupted, "I walked over to her bed and prepared to commit my sword to her chest. While I was standing beside her I saw something that didn't add up for me" Squall explained. "What did you see?" Zell asked, "I saw **her**, I saw her innocence, I saw her beauty. She did not look capable of doing what they say she is responsible for" he answered Zell with a low voice.

. "So let me get this straight. You, Mr. I could care less about the majority of the people in the world, couldn't kill a single sleeping woman b/c she looked innocent. Hell man, most of the people you kill look innocent. So what you really mean is that you were attracted to her," Irvine asked. Squall ignored his remark; they could never understand his heart or his mind. Continuing with the details of the night Squall barked back, "Whatever, then her soldiers showed up"

"But that isn't what stopped you is it, hell I have seen you put down eight men by yourself so don't tell me that a couple of guards got in your way" Zell chimed in; Squall knew that was true but didn't answer him.

Irvine laughed "I know what it is" Zell looked at Irvine "what? What do you know?" Zell asked wanting to know so bad that it was killing him. "He likes her, Squall has a thing for our little sorceress" Irvine said with a smile on his face. Squall was not amused with where this was going; he turned his gaze to Irvine and narrowed his eyes. "Whatever, I think this discussion has gone on long enough."

Zell hopped up from his seat on a log by the fire and started to shadow box to keep him self busy while he thought about the whole situation. "So what your telling me Irvine" Zell stopped to punch the air and then took a breath to continue "is that Squall here has a crush on the sorceress he was assigned to kill" Zell stated matter-of-factly. "Yes Zell, Squall has the hots for her, our little Squall is growing up. They grow up so fast, why it seems like just yesterday he was out playing around with his little friends, and now he is looking at girls, soon he will get married ..... where does the time go" Irvine responded sarcastically. Zell started to laugh and was having a hard time keeping it quiet so Squall wouldn't hear him, but when he turned around and looked at Squall it became much easier to gain his composure. Squall had never really been much of a jokester. He was much more of a stoic, a straight to the point and a leave me alone kind of guy. It was very apparent that the teasing was beginning to wear thin. Zell saw the anger starting to rise in Squall's cold gaze because of the joking. That gaze put an immediate end to his muffled laughter.

"Well, whatever the problem may have been tonight, we still need to get some rest before he head back to camp, and just so you know Squall this discussion isn't over yet, there are still questions that I want answered" Irvine said. "Whatever" was the only response Squall gave as he laid a blanket down by the fire.

The atmosphere around that small camp fire fell silent as everyone settled in to get some sleep. Each one with questions still running through their mind, Zell and Irvine still curious about their friend and his new seeming interest in the sorceress while Squall's thoughts brought forward deeper questions; "What has happened to me...? Could she really be responsible for what they have accused her of? Can my soul take another scar if she is?"


	2. Flames of The Past

This is a regular disclaimer, I don't own any of the character from Final Fantasy, and the characters are the property of Square Enix. The only characters that are mine are the ones I create to go into this story. So please don't sue me that would be unlucky.

Chapter2. Flames of The Past

The grass swayed in the arms of the warm spring breeze that blew over the land, warming everything that it touched. The breeze combed Squall's unruly brown hair with it's fingers. As the sun beamed down on Squall's face he stood in the grass fields that covered the rolling hills of the terrain. It had been only two weeks since he had left and yet it seemed as if he had been gone much longer. He took in his surroundings and the smell of the ocean air mixed with scent of the wild flowers from the field. Traveler was nearby eating his fill of grass until his owner was ready to start moving again. The journey back had been a long one but was now almost over. Squall had dismounted to survey the landscape and give Traveler some time to rest, but the day was moving on and they needed to move on as well.

Traveler lowered his head to take another bite of grass then raised his head up looking at Squall. Squall put his hand on the horse's long neck and pets the smooth grey coat of the stallion. "Let's getting going we need to be back before night fall" Squall said to Traveler as if he expected the horse to respond. Traveler huffed in response

Squall pulled himself back onto his saddle once again taking the reigns in hand Squall gave Traveler a slight nudge with the heel of his boot. The pair headed west, not in any hurry to get back wanting to take in their surroundings a bit longer. That would quickly change though, as events beyond Squall's control or understanding were set into motion.

Feeling pretty good Squall gazed up into the blue sky over head. Everything seemed to be going well, his friends were doing well and he had returned safely. Questions had begun to enter his mind about his trip and the suddenness of it. Before he could even verbalize the questions something on the horizon caught his eye.

Rising up into the sky in front of him were billows of ominous black smoke clouds coming from behind the hills in front of them. Squall's eyes grew large and without even pulling on the reigns the horse stopped in its tracks almost as if it sensed its master's fears.

Squall's small questions about his journey evaporated like mist as he saw the dark smoke rise up streaking the sky like dark vines climbing up a wall. Squall froze for a moment. Then one thought raced into his mind filling him with panic, "my family is there ...we have to get back. I have to find them before something happens **and** **I mean now."**

Traveler responded immediately when he heard Squall yell his name "Traveler" in a voice filled with anxiety and fear. No spurring was required to get Traveler moving this time as the grey and white mustang became like a galloping ghost tearing through the grass fields and farm land that surrounded the small town of Winhill.

Questions raced through Squall's mind faster then he capable of answering them or even fully grasping them all. "Who would do this …. What do they want…. There is nothing strategic about Winhill it's on the outskirt of the continent, why here…. We don't have an army …. There is no money here, we are all just fishermen, farmers, and merchants…. we don't even have that many men that can fight except….." All of sudden his mind screamed for him to hurry before it was too late.

As Traveler cleared the top of the last hill on the out skirt of the town, Squall got his first glimpse of the horror that was laid out before him.

The Inn and shops located on the out skirts were engulfed in flames, the fire reached out of the windows as it were trying to pull everything into its killer grasp. The doors were open as if the people had tried to escape their fiery graves, but as Traveler's hoofs took their first step on the dirt road the vision worsened. The town's people lucky enough to flee their burning homes and shops were cut down in the roads, the fields of their farms, or the yards of their homes. Traveler tore by burning buildings, but all Squall saw were dead bodies lining the road. Bodies with expressions of terror frozen on their faces for all eternity stared back at him with their own blood seeping out to pool around them.

Squall turned away from the sight hoping against all odds that this fate didn't befall everyone in the town.

Traveler slowed down as he reached the central plaza of the town, even before Traveler could stop Squall dismounted. As soon as his boots hit solid ground he charged toward the pub that his family owned in the town plaza, the pub was set ablaze just like every other building in the town.

Squall threw the door open, as he did so smoke poured out of the pub filling his lungs with a burning sensation. Without thinking he ran in to find everything ablaze. Squall screamed out at the top of his lungs "hello, is anyone in here …. Mother, Ellone, Father are you here". Then he fell silent praying for an answer to his call. All around him he heard the fire roaring and the crackle of splintering wood. Out the roaring blaze he heard a muffled voice call out from the direction of the store room located behind the bar.

Ellone had spent the last twenty minutes locked in the store room pounding on the door. She had continue to beat on the door until her hands were so bruised that she couldn't even ball them into fists any longer. When the smoke started to come into the room from underneath the door, and the flames began to move in through the wall, she believed that this would be her time. "Why has this happened, what have we done to deserve this" Ellone thought to herself with the bitterness of fear eating away at her. The only thing that reconciled her fate was one hopeful thought "Thank God Squall has escaped this fate and will survive." She had spent the past five minutes on the floor with her apron up to her face to filter out the smoke as best as possible. All of sudden she heard a voice calling out from inside of the pub. "I'm in here, please help me" she yelled as best as she could then she started to cough from the smoke she was breathing in.

Squall started to move toward the store room where he believed the muffled voice had come from. Unfortunately the store room was on the other side of the bar and the bar was engulfed in flames already.

All fear and caution were stripped from Squall when he heard that distant voice; he would do anything to get them out. "I will not let you die" Squall said, more for himself than for the person trapped within the store room, as he pushed himself forward. Running up to the bar Squall put his gloved hand onto the burning bar and propelled himself over the bar and through the extended fingers of the flames.

A chair had been propped against the door condemning all inside to death in this fire. Kicking the chair out of the way Squall pulled the door open and was engulfed by a wall of black smoke that poured out of the room. Through blurry eyes Squall surveyed the room and found a figure lying on the floor. As he got closer he was able to see it was Ellone.

When Ellone yelled out to the person she heard in the pub she took in a lot of smoke and began to get light headed. "I can't let myself pass out, if I do I'll die" she tried to plead with her mind, but her body was already losing the war with the smoke. Her eyes became heavy and her lungs started to hurt as she took in every breath with a struggle. Then her eyes shut and she started to collapse "is this it … Am I going to die here burned to death …. Alone, please no" her mind pleaded slowly as the smoke started to affect her. Then she felt strong arms lift her up off the floor "who is it, I wish I knew" her mind asked.

Taking Ellone into his arms he supported her body against his chest. Looking down at her face, he could that it was blackened from the smoke and she wasn't moving. Moving quickly he ran around the bar towards the door. "Don't you worry Elle I'll get you out of here" he said and she stirred in response.

Ellone knew she had been pulled from the fire's rapid decent, but by whom she did not know. "Who has me? I have to know" she thought. As she forced her eyes open she saw unruly brown hair and stormy blue eyes, "Squall?" she questioned quietly.

Squall looked down at Ellone's blackened face and dirty short brown hair when he heard her call his name. "Ya Sis, it's me I'm going to get you out of here, you'll be fine….just stay with me. You got that" Squall answered in a strong but gentle voice trying to reassure her as much as possible. Ellone nodded her head slightly in response as Squall cautiously moved around the remnants of the burning furniture.

Ellone's eyes were slightly open and blurry from all the smoke. She couldn't make out much of anything except blurs of color, but the strong arms of her brother she recognized. She didn't need to be able to see clearly to know who had saved her. As they neared the door to the pub the sun broke through the smoke and came down on Ellone's face almost as if it was teasing her with its warm rays on her skin while her heart was cold with sorrow.

Squall ran out of the door to the pub holding Ellone protectively to his chest, using his body to shield her from the flames that they had to pass through as they exited the pub. Once they reached the safe distance where Squall had left Traveler, Squall lowered Ellone to the coble stone ground that made up the town's main plaza. Reaching over to Traveler, Squall took his water skin from his saddle. "Here Elle drink some water, it will cool your throat and help you to breathe better."

As Ellone began to take the water skin from Squall they heard a piercing shrill scream coming out of the pub. Squall looked up to the second level window. "Mother, she's still upstairs" Squall spoke in shock "I am going to get her out" he spoke in heart wrenching terror. Ellone let the water skin drop to the ground spilling its contents onto the coble stone; she lunged out for Squall's leg. Wrapping her arms around his leg Ellone wouldn't let him go, "don't go Squall …. it's too late" she pleaded.

Squall was stopped in his tracks by Ellone who was hanging onto his leg with all her strength. "Sis let me go . I have to go" Squall yelled panicking "its not to late, didn't you hear he cry out …… let go of me now" he said with is voice rising with anger. "Squall if you go in there you will die with her; you know she wouldn't want you to do that ….. She would want you to live….. I know it's hard, I lover her too but you have honor her wishes for you to live" Ellone said with sorrow in her voice.

Squall squatted down to his sister "I will honor her wish" he said with a gentle calmness in his voice as he loosened her grip on his leg. He turned running toward the pub once again this time not being stopped by Ellone.

When Ellone heard his foot steps move away and saw his blurred image move toward the door new tears brimmed in her eyes, not from the smoke but from the fear of losing her brother along with everyone else. "Squall" she whimpered quietly as the tears ran down her soot stained face creating streaks of white skin within the black.

Squall jump through the flames that were now blocking the door way, "I am coming mother, just hold on just a little longer. It will be ok I promise" he tried to yell above the roar of the flames and crackling timbers. Sprinting up the stairs two steps at a time he reached the door to the second floor apartment where his family lived in. Squall quickly glanced at the burning door with out a moment's hesitation his leg swung back and then flew forward with brutal force devastating the burning door.

For the very first time since Irvine and Zell had know Squall they manager to awake before him. It usually took several rounds of rousing to get Zell up from his slumber. Tonight though was different, something was bothering Zell; he just couldn't let it go and he needed to talk about it with someone. "Irvine are you awake" Zell asked quietly not wanting to wake him if he was asleep. "Ya, I'm awake what do you need Zell" Irvine asked in a low tired voice.

"Irvine something is bothering me about Squall" Zell stated a little uneasily "you know how he said he couldn't kill the sorceress." "Even though he said he would find out the truth about her and make his own decision whether to kill her or not….. Something just seems wrong" Zell said. "What do you mean Zell" Irvine asked. "Well what will happen if he chooses not to kill her" Zell asked while staring up at the pale blue of the early morning sky. "Two things could possible happen" Irvine started coolly. "We will have to make our choice based on the one he chooses" Irvine continued. "And what are those two choices?" Zell questioned "he will either choose to kill her or he will choose to protect her" Irvine answered. "If he chooses to kill her nothing will change, except for the fact that it took him a little longer to carry out his assignment" Irvine continued. "What if he chooses to protect her?" Zell asked rolling over to look at Irvine.

"Then he will either bring her with us or he will leave us to be with her. If she comes with us then we will have to decide if we are going to stay with him. I know Squall well enough to know that if he trusts her then I can trust her and I will stay with him" Irvine explained. "And if he leaves?" Zell urged "then we different decision to make. We can to either go with him or to stay with the army. If we return to the army then we would have to help hunt him down to the ends of the earth" Irvine said in a low voice turning over to look at Zell. Neither wanted to think about having to hunt down their comrade, their friend, the three of them had been through too much together.

Suddenly Squall shot up from underneath his blanket. He sat straight up with sweat rolling down his face, looking as if he were in pain. Not physical but emotional pain, the terror still etched across his face.

As Squall bolted upright the nightmarish torture was replaying in his mind. The door quickly burst open to the deep blackness within, before he could peer into the darkness the door slammed shut. He never saw what was on the other side of the door, it always shut before he could find out. Just the thought of it brought a cold sweat to his worn body . A good night's sleep was a luxury that he rarely enjoyed, the demons of his past tortured him at night with his own fragmented memories.

Irvine and Zell both looked at Squall when he sat up but they didn't say anything to him. "His past is working on him again, when will he be able to accept what happened." Irvine thought solemnly. Zell just watched, knowing that there was little that he or Irvine could do to calm the flames that always seemed to be slowly burning away at Squall.

Squall touched his left forearm, which was covered by a black bracer with metal plating sown on one side. "Is this permanent reminder not enough? Must I revisit the nightmare every time I close my eyes as well?" Squall asked silently.

"Hey Squall, you ok over there" Zell asked lightly trying to pull attention away from whatever Squall was thinking on. "I'm fine" Squall responded after shaking the thoughts out his mind. "Well let's eat before we head back to base camp, I'm sure we have enough time" Zell said as his stomach began to growl. Squall looked at Zell "I swear he eats or thinks about eating more than anyone else I know" he thought, "alright Zell, what do we have to eat anyway?" he asked. "Whatever is left of the deer that Irvine caught yesterday. I'll get the fire started and we'll cook some up" Zell said while licking his lips.

Squall shook his head in slight disbelief at his friends' constant hunger, but agreed that they had time for food. Irvine retrieved the deer meat and Zell brought the fire back to life by putting new wood into the smoldering cinders. The fire came back to life after a couple of blows spread the flames to the fresh wood. Irvine put the meat on a pike and started to cook their early morning meal.

"What do you think the general will say when he finds out?" Zell asked between bites. "Finds out about what?" Irvine questioned. "That Squall didn't kill the sorceress like he was ordered" Zell bluntly stated. "I don't know, but this is a first for Squall and that has to count for something" Irvine tried to reassure. "It doesn't matter" Squall said flatly, both men looked at him "I am the one who failed to carry out this assignment, but I did what I thought I needed to do" he continued. "Something was wrong, I didn't like the way it felt so I will find out the truth for myself and complete the assignment as I see fit not how someone else tells me to, understood?" Squall said with determination in his voice as he looked at his two friends. "One way or another" he added quietly almost inaudible, but Irvine heard it and watched as Squall eyes moved to watch the dancing flames of the fire. "I will follow you to the end no matter what" Irvine's mind responded unspoken.

After they had finished their meal…or better yet once Zell and his bottomless pit had finished eating, the three rolled up their blankets tying them to their saddles. "We should make the General's base camp by dusk" Squall offered, "why so late" Zell asked. "I was counting for the times that you will need to stop and eat on the way" Squall countered in a light voice. "I don't have to eat that much…..I just like to take the time to enjoy my meal is all" Zell explained.

Irvine and Squall both laughed "yes, we know Zell" Irvine said smiling. "Well let's get started, the farther we get before lunch the better" Squall said with a smile looking over to Zell. "Fine I just won't eat till we get back" Zell said in a huff. This caused Irvine to start laughing and brought a small smile to the face of the usually solemn Squall.

"That's new for Squall" Irvine thought "smiling and doing it in front of us. I guess maybe something has changed but what?" he continued in his thoughts as he watched his two friends saddle their horses.

Squall gave Traveler a small nudge "let's get moving. I am sure the General will want me to explain myself, if I can" Squall said not really looking forward to the up coming inquiry. The three spurred their horses on as they headed north back toward the base camp through the Forest of the Moon.

While Rinoa's soldiers scurried around the camp preparing for their unexpected early departure, she stood patiently beside her fallen tent. Yuri had volunteered to retrieve Rinoa's belongs. As he released the remainder of the tent's rigging Rinoa watched. It seemed as if she were just waiting to help gather her belongs, but her only thoughts were on the events of the night before. "He got into my tent so easily. It is obvious that he was well trained and I know that last night was not his first job of this kind….so why did he stop? Why did he not complete his mission?" she asked herself. "There was nothing to stop him. No one knew he was there except for me and I am of no threat to him…so what was it? And God…those eyes. I feel as if I could loose myself with in the penetrating gaze of those icy blue eyes."

Rinoa was so deep in thought that she didn't notice Thomas as he walked up and stood beside her.. She didn't even feel his presences until he spoke; "I am sorry Rinoa for what happened" Thomas stated, breaking Rinoa from her thoughts. Rinoa, who had been staring absently at Yuri moving beneath her tent's fabric, looked up at Thomas. "What for Thomas?" she asked, confused as to why he was apologizing.

"For not being able to protect you, my actions left you unprotected. Not only could he have killed me but he could have killed you and I ….." he started to explain, but Rinoa cut him off; she wanted him to understand that he was not to blame. "Thomas no one was hurt, and it was you that warned everyone of the intruder in the first place, besides…" she paused to make sure he was listening. Thomas remained silent telling her he was.

Yuri had been under this stupid tent for the past half hour. At first he tried to untie the tent's rigging but in the end he decided to cut it. "We have to replace the center rope anyway. We can just as easily replace the rest of it too" he thought to himself as he cut the remaining intact lines with his knife. After the ropes had been cut he began to feel his way through the darkness of the tent's canopy until he saw a sliver of light at the tent's edge. As he crawled out from underneath the tent the first thing he heard was "Besides...

"He entered my tent unknown to anyone. At first I didn't know what was going on. He just stood there…" she paused again to make sure he was listening and his nod told her to continue. "I laid there hoping he would leave but instead I heard him pull his sword from its sheath. He stood there with sword in hand long enough to have killed me ten times over but he didn't" she said with the intruder's image fresh in her mind. "Thomas, You didn't do anything wrong except let your anger get the better of you. So don't apologize for that. Just keep it from happening again because my life will depend on you and the others" she told him.

Thomas listened to Rinoa intently. He was amazed to learn that the intruder had enough time to have finished the job and get out even before he had arrived on the scene. Piecing thing together in his mind…"It was obvious that he was well trained. Why would he just do nothing? I mean he easily took me down with one move and he didn't even seem like he was trying" his mind wondered "and once again he didn't kill me even though he could have. Why send an assassin that can't kill? That doesn't make any sense". After hearing the missing details Thomas was even more confused and his mind began to question what had really happened.

Yuri listened and even though he was thinking thoughts very similar to Thomas's he kept silent. "Just from how calm he stayed, when Brent, Francis and I showed up, it was obvious that he was perfectly able to kill" he thought trying to weigh the information. "He just couldn't kill her. Maybe she put a spell on him, no wait if she had done that then how did he fight off Thomas and how was he able to escape…. No, he wasn't under a spell at least not from her" logic told him.

"Rinoa do you think that he was unable to kill anyone, that maybe he got there and got scared" Thomas asked hoping it to be the truth because it would mean the intruder was really nothing to worry about at all. Before Rinoa could answer some else spoke up "No, he could have killed her and you whenever he had felt like it" Yuri said rising up from his knees to stand in front of the two. "What do you mean Yuri, he didn't even use his sword when he fought me" Thomas counted. "And still he defeated you with ease Thomas, just because he didn't use his sword doesn't mean he wouldn't ……. did you see the look in his eyes Thomas?" Yuri asked with a hint of annoyance. "Fighting was nothing new to him, he has probably seen things that even your young nightmares can't touch…. he didn't even panic when I showed up with Brent and Francis and we out numbered him" he went on.

Rinoa stood there listening to Yuri talk about what he had seen in just that brief moment he had seen the intruder. As she listened her mind remembered his piercing eyes. "They were cold and unmoving at first but they changed when he looked at me. I am sure they changed, I know they did. The dim light within his crystalline eyes grew softer almost hurting with an unknown inner anguish."

Yuri looked at Thomas "don't you believe for a second that he can't kill because the next time you see him it will either be you or him and if you think he can't kill it will be you."

"I understand and I'll be ready next time to put him in his grave" Thomas said looking straight into Yuri's eyes. "I hope so Thomas."

"Thomas go and fetch the horse team for Rinoa carriage, then get Brent to ready the carriage and have Francis come here to help load her things" Yuri instructed of the younger man. "Yes sir" Thomas said and turned heading off toward the horses.

Yuri turned to Rinoa who seemed to have a worried look on her face "you don't have to worry I wont let him get to you." She looked at Yuri and nodded her head, but for some reason that was the problem she wanted to see him again. "I want to know why he didn't kill me . and why even though I know he was sent to kill me I don't fear him at all . …. the only way that is going to happen is if Yuri isn't there" her mind concluded albeit a little scared of its own reasoning.

As Thomas was on his way to find the others he passed a soldier that had been concealed behind a tent. The soldier had been listening in on the conversation between the three with disgust. "You were lucky this time sorceress. And you, Yuri, you think that you know what is going on but soon you too will find yourself at the end of a sword" he mentally scoffed at the two still standing there. "And Thomas will be the easiest to do away with, he is young and stupid not a good combination" he thought smiling. Then turned and left.

Thomas found the horses easy enough. Rinoa had the only white horses in the entire army; they had been assigned to her for her carriage. Thomas hadn't seen Francis or Brent, neither one seemed to be around. Thomas continued on his way to getting the horses ready. "Man, Yuri sure did give that guy a lot of credit it almost sounded as if you were envious of him." Thomas thought as grabbed a set of a reigns for one of the horses.

Completely lost in what he was doing Thomas never knew Brent come up behind him until he put his hand on Thomas' shoulder, startling Thomas out of his mind. "Take it easy Thomas it's just me" Brent said with a smile on his face after watching the younger man jump out of fear. "I knew that. You just caught me off guard is all" Thomas replied trying to regain his composure. "What are you doing" Brent asked, "we are supposed to get the team and carriage ready to load and move, Yuri wants us to be out of here as soon as possible" Thomas told him still trying to settle his nerves.

"Have you seen Francis, I am supposed to tell him to help Yuri get Rinoa's things ready to move" Thomas asked finally calmed down, "ya, he was with Yuri last time I saw him" Brent answered. "Good then I don't have to go find him then." Brent just eyed Thomas curiously and went to help get the reigns on the horses.

Rinoa looked through her large cedar trunk for a dress to change into; she hadn't even had a chance since the tent fell to change out of her night gown until now. She rummaged through the trunk going through clothes when she came across probably the most elegant gown she had. A cream gown that flowed to the ground, it had been given to her by her best friend the same friend that she was hurriedly traveling to see. Her dear friend would be able to protect her for a while within her castle. But Rinoa feared that there was no one that could actually keep her safe from the hatred that chased her everywhere she went and the people that feared her because of what she was not who she was. She felt the smooth fabric of the elegant gown with its satin and silk. Wishing that maybe one day she would get to wear the gown and dance to the soft music of a ball.

Rinoa put the gown aside and choose a short sleeved blue dress that came down to the ground. She then headed in the direction of the only other woman in the camp ., Fujin was an officer that had been with Seifer for longer than Rinoa even knew. She actually thought that the two of them made a good couple but Seifer wasn't a big fan of that kind of talk. It always seemed to make him nervous probably because he didn't want it out in the open so she kept her thoughts to herself. She found the silver haired woman standing by her horse fastening down her saddle, "Fujin are you busy" Rinoa asked, "no" was the simple answer she received from Fujin. "Would you mind helping me with my dress" Rinoa asked, "not at all" Fujin said quickly.

The dress barely touched the ground, with a square neck line and a pair of draw strings in the back to pull in the fabric in the center of the dress making it more form fitting. Rinoa walked into Fujin's tent followed closely by Fujin who rarely ever wore a dress. She was usually in same attire as the other soldiers except for a red cross that had been added to the arms of her uniform. Once Rinoa had changed into the dress she turned around to give Fujin access to the strings in the back. "Ok" Fujin said with a questioning tone. Rinoa had to think for a minute about what Fujin was talking about. Since Fujin didn't say more than a couple of words at a time Rinoa had gotten used to being careful about how she responded.

"You mean last night" Rinoa asked, "affirmative" Fujin responded. "I am fine; the intruder didn't get a chance to do anything. The guards found him in my tent before he had a chance to act" Rinoa said trying not to give away all the details; she didn't want it to get back to Seifer. "Liar" Fujin said straight forward, Rinoa took a deep breath as Fujin pulled the stings tighter than they needed to be to prove her point. "Seifer's talked to you" Rinoa asked with shortness of breath. "Affirmative" came her response. "Fujin it wasn't that bad, the intruder just decided not to kill me. I guess I can't explain it" Rinoa said in a soft voice. "Scared?" Fujin asked. "No I really wasn't scared of him……well that seems to do it thank you for your help Fujin" Rinoa told her as she turned around to move past Fujin. Fujin just watched Rinoa walk by with her one good eye trying her best to study the young sorceress. Fujin had lost the use of her left eye, when she was wounded in a fight. The eye was now covered by a black patch to hide the scar. Fujin didn't see anything out of the ordinary about Rinoa, but she knew that something was different. What it was she just couldn't put her finger on.

Yuri was putting the last trunk onto the back of the carriage when he saw Rinoa walking in his direction. "Francis can you tie these down" Yuri asked with a quick glance toward Thomas, "sure thing, it will be no problem" Francis said pulling one of the straps tight over a trunk. Yuri headed toward Rinoa meeting her at the front of the carriage. "We are ready to go, Francis is tying down the trunks and that will do it" he said. "Good, what about the troops that are going with us are they ready to move yet?" Rinoa asked. "Yes, they are just waiting for the word, we have 150 of the 200 men with us .Seifer is taking 50 through the forest to see if he can find a trail that the intruder might have left behind" Yuri told her pointing over to forest on the far side of the camp.

"Very good then, we will leave as soon as Francis is ready" Rinoa said a little colder than she meant to. "Is something wrong" Yuri asked a little confused. "Yuri, do you think that Seifer will find anything out there?" she asked with all honesty. Yuri didn't even pause for a second to think before answering, "No, I don't believe he will be able to find anything out there especially the intruder himself" he said with a low voice.

"I see" Rinoa said with mixed emotions. She wanted him found because she wanted to see him again; she wanted to talk to him. On the other hand she didn't want Seifer to find him because she knew that more than likely Seifer would torture and kill him if he did. "Don't worry we will protect you" Yuri said thinking that she was worried about the intruder coming come back to finish his job. Rinoa just nodded her response to him and stepped up into the carriage.

Seifer rode over to the carriage on a black stallion "get moving I want you to get Rinoa to Castle Straum in Timber before dusk, it is less likely that anyone will attack in the daylight" he stated. Seifer looked up at Yuri and Thomas sitting on the carriage "you do understand that **her** life is all that matters. You are to give your life if needs be, understood" Seifer said coldly to the two personal guards. They nodded their response without a word. Seifer raised an arm up over his "lets move, the intruder is ours and we will see who has whose life in their hands" he said dropping his arm.

Rinoa watched as Seifer and his men rode by her carriage hoping that he wouldn't be able to find the intruder. Fujin stopped her horse for a minute and watched Rinoa; Rinoa hadn't meant to let it be known what she was thinking but Fujin could see it on her face. Rinoa looked at Fujin and she knew that Fujin knew something was wrong. Fujin spurred her horse on and was gone "don't tell him Fujin please" Rinoa inwardly pleaded.

"Move out" Yuri said in a booming voice, taking the reigns of the horse team snapping them down. The team started to move toward Castle Straum and an unknown future. This future had already been set into motion with all its main players taking up their roles.


	3. Visiting a Friend

This is a regular disclaimer, I don't own any of the character from Final Fantasy, and the characters are the property of Square Enix. The only characters that are mine are the ones I create to go into this story. So please don't sue me that would be unlucky.

Ch. 3 Visiting a Friend

The warm sunlight filtered through space in the blue curtains that had been pulled into place over the windows. Rays of light warmed Rinoa's face bringing her out of a deep slumber but she wasn't quit ready to wake up "just a few more minutes that's all" she sleepily spoke to no one. As if Hearing her request to continue her sleep the sun moved its rays up her face until they were shining directly in her eyes causing Rinoa to close her eyes all the tighter.

It didn't last long "okay, okay I'm up I'm up" came a tired voice. All night she had dreamt of a person she had never seen before and of a sorceress that looked eerily too familiar.

Why would she dream of a sorceress? She had nothing against them. She really hadn't know any personally, but she knew how feared they were and what would happen if one was found around here. Sitting up in her bed she rubbed the remaining sleep from her eyes and stretched her arms above her heard trying to finish waking.

Rinoa had turned fourteen a couple of months ago. She didn't feel any older but there were strange feelings that would come over her every now again. For example she would think that she could hear someone outside her door, just to find out they were next door. How could she have heard them if they were so far away? It worried her at first, but now she just believes that her mind is playing tricks on her is all it is.

This morning however was different. Her body started to tingle all of sudden; it felt like her blood was on fire as it coursed through her body. Rinoa crossed her arms over her chest holding her shoulders as the strange feeling ran through out her body. The energy coursed through every part of her body bringing new sensations with it. All of sudden her feet could feel every course grove of the wooden floor boards of her room, .she could feel not only the smoothness of her night gown but she swore she could feel every single thread under her fingers.

She cried out as the energy coursed down her arms in a sudden explosion of power. The energy flared up from her arms like lighting moving in the clouds, then exploded toward a chair in the corner of her room. "What's happening …..? Someone please help me" she pleaded. Her mother, Julia Caraway, entered the room to see what the screaming had been about. She never expected to find the scene that unfolded in the room as she entered.

Rinoa stood still as a white aura surrounded her body and started to manifest around her arms as sparks like embers leaping from a fire leapt off her. The chair in the corner of the room had already been set ablaze by Rinoa's uncontrollable powers, "Rinoa, please you must calm down ….. I know it's hard right now but if you don't calm down the power within you will be remain uncontrollable" Julia said in a calm voice trying desperately to sooth her scared child.

"Mom what's happening to me" Rinoa asked in a shaky voice as tears became evident in her eyes, her will holding back the tears that were just waiting to be released. "Rinoa please calm down and then we will I promise to explain everything" Julia pleaded with her. Rinoa nodded her head trying hard not to think about the new sensations running throughout her body. The coursing heat that had been coursing through her blood started to subside, .either it was going away or her body was adapting to the energy now coursing within her.

Rinoa hoped it was the first as the sensation was now gone, but that hope was shattered as she took her first step toward her mother. She could still feel the intricate groves of the wood under her feet, once she reached her mother the tears had been set free forming rivers down her cheeks.

Julia took her daughter in her arms holding her tightly as if she could wish this fate away or maybe protect her from what is happening within her body. But Julia knew better than that, she knew what was happening to Rinoa and knew what she would have to do to keep Rinoa safe.

"Rinoa listen to me, you must stay inside with me today" Julia told her trying to keep her voice calm even though she wanted to cry for her child. "Why?" Rinoa asked between choked sobs, "Rinoa you are becoming a sorceress, .those sensations you were having were the dormant powers within you awaking. If others see that extraordinary power flare up within you I am afraid they will take you away from me or even worse…they may hurt you. You have to learn to control it. Controlling the power has to be your first priority now everything else can be explained later. Do you understand?" Julia said holding back her own tears. "I understand mother, I'll stay inside"

Rinoa said with a little calmer voice.

The two just stood there consoling each other for awhile longer; Julia consoling Rinoa's fears while Rinoa consoling Julia's fear that her child would change like so many others that inherited the power. Rinoa's mind tried to sort through what had just happened to her and what she was just told when her mind returned to the dream she had the night before. Now she understands that the girl in her dream **was her.** So who was the man that stood in front of her? She had never seen a man that looked like that as the thought of him brought a blush to Rinoa's cheeks_. "Why would he stand with her, protecting her, she was a sorceress now … a hated and despised thing that will get her hunted down for sure"_ her mind begged.

"Mom" Rinoa asked, and waited for acknowledgement from her mother "yes dear" Julia said. "What about father?" Rinoa asked in an innocent naive voice.

That question hit Julia with more force than a direct punch would have, she felt the air leave her lungs and didn't realize that as soon the words hit her ears she had started holding her breath. In truth she had no idea how he would take it, she had kept that part of her family history a secret from him so how he would react was beyond her thought.

"I am sure that after he gets past the initial shock that he will be fine. It won't change how he feels about you I promise" Julia said with as much composure as she could gather to lie to her daughter. Julia didn't want to think about what might happen between herself and her husband because she knew that no matter what happened she would never abandon Rinoa.

Rinoa spent the day in doors, it was hard she wanted to go outside and play more than anything. She could hear other kids outside talking and laughing and wanted to join them. The thought of what would happen though if her power emerged unchecked again along with the thought of what others might think of her kept her from trying to go outside.

"Rinoa your powers are closely attached to your emotions, as along as you stay calm your powers will not surge to the surface like they did this morning, do you understand?" Julia asked. Rinoa nodded her head trying her best to take in everything her mother told her. "Okay Rinoa lets try to work on your control" Julia started, "but what if something happens and I can't control it" Rinoa interrupted with fear filling her words . "Don't worry we'll work on your control with less powerful magic so if something happens no one will get hurt" Julia said with a small smile on her face trying to elevate her worries. Rinoa slowly nodded her consent.

"Let's begin with something small. Rinoa, I want you to concentrate on the chair, feel the weight in your mind and now concentrate on elevating the chair just a couple of feet off the ground. Only think about what you are trying to do" Julia said. Rinoa closed her eyes and folded her hands in front of her like she was praying. Her eyes opened looking right at the chair, all of sudden the chair started to rise off the floor stopping a couple of feet of the ground.

"Good job Rinoa, now concentrate on putting the chair back on the ground" her mother instructed. Rinoa silently did as she was instructed and the chair returned to its place on the floor.

"That was great Rinoa, you're a fast learner. Now just remember that you have to concentrate solely on the object that you are trying to use the magic on or the magic could end up affecting anything that enters your mind." Julia informed her daughter.

"Thank you mother, it's not as hard to control as I thought it would be. After what I felt this morning I thought it would be impossible to control but, when I concentrated on the chair it was almost like I could feel it in my hands, it makes controlling the power easier" Rinoa said with a smile on her face. She was so impressed that she had been able to control the powers and that the power hadn't controlled her.

The rest of the day was spent working on her control and the use of her new powers: sleep spells, lavation, freezing, stop spells, and some weaker elemental spells like fire. Rinoa caught on quickly to the idea of how to call upon the magic within her and how she could keep the powers from surfacing uncontrolled. Soon evening fell upon the house and the last of the sunlight shown through the window bringing a whole new problem to the surface, Julia's husband.

A Major in the King's army walked down the streets of Deling City heading home for the night. In his hands he carried a bouquet of flowers for his wife. He took in the flowers' fragrance, smiled to himself and thought _"I hope she likes these"_.

Robert had joined the army at young age and had worked his way to being an officer with strategic knowledge that he used to aid his Generals. In turn the Generals aided his status in the army by advancing him through the ranks quickly. He was well on his way of being in command of his own battalion in the army. He was a well respected man within the army and the town's people knew him and his family well. They were always welcome anywhere they went.

His wife Julia was a beautify woman with long flowing brunette hair, and a smile that could brighten the darkest of rooms. She was known for her singing voice. People tried to get her to sing whenever possible just to hear the beautiful song of the nightingale.

They had a lovely daughter that looked more like her mother than father, which was for the best. Who wouldn't want to take after Julia? She had Julia's soft eyes but hers were chocolate brown like her fathers and she had raven hair more like her mother's. They named their daughter Rinoa after the name of a girl from a dream that Julia's grandmother had. Julia fell in love with the name even though at that time she didn't understand her grandmother's dream or didn't want to understand it.

They seemed to be the perfect family to everyone in town; no one ever saw them fight or have any major problems. "That is what a family should be like", everyone would say, but there is no such thing as a perfect family everyone has their problems some just hide it better than others.

Robert reached his home on the north end of the city just inside the outer walls of the castle of King Caesar Deling. As Robert approached the door he swore he saw a table float by the window, he stopped in his tracks watching the window in disbelief.

"Rinoa put the table down your father will be home soon and we don't want him to see you doing that at least not before we get a chance to tell him first" Julia said with a little more fear in voice then she meant to express. "Everything is going to be fine isn't mother, I mean he isn't going to get mad is he" Rinoa asked catching the fear in her mother's voice. "I'm sure everything will be just fine" Julia lied once again.

Not seeing anything else happen Robert guessed his eyes were just playing tricks on him from the long hours he had been spending working back at the barracks. "I have to get some rest I'm now seeing furniture floating across the house next I will see little pink elephants" Robert mused to himself.

Taking the door the handle he entered the house "Julia?" he asked as soon as he was inside. "We're in the living room" Julia responded holding in her breath as she waited for her husband to arrive.

"There you are" Robert said smiling at his wife and daughter "the two most important people in the world to me." Raising his hand to show the bouquet of flowers to his wife, she gave a weak smile and accepted the gift. "Thank you Robert" Julia said almost choking on her the tears that wanted to run down her face.

Robert caught onto to the fact that something wasn't right as he watched Julia try her best not to cry. "What's wrong, has something happened…… you know you can tell me what it is" he asked trying to get the answer out of his wife. Smiling Julia looked up at Robert's face and saw the worry etched on his features "will that worry still be there after he finds out or will it be replaced with something else" her mind wondered.

_"Do I tell him or do I try to hide it from him for as long as possible? I can't hide it from him for forever, he will find out eventually. What do I do?"_ her mind pleaded. Robert watched as Julia stood silent for a moment _"what could be so bad that she won't tell me? Is it another man? No she wouldn't do that it's not like her. So what is it?"_ he wondered silently.

"Julia what is it? You're beginning to worry me, just tell me what's wrong" he pleaded with her. Rinoa watched as her mother stood silently listening to her father pleading, _"this is entirely my fault"_ she thought, _"if I didn't have these powers this wouldn't be happening"_ her mind scolded her.

Rinoa couldn't take it any more the silence was tearing her apart, "I will tell you" spoke up gaining the attention of both of her parents. "Rinoa are you sure?" Julia asked in a soft voice, Rinoa just nodded. Julia consented to let her daughter break the news to her husband of their newly discovered secret.

Robert turned to Rinoa, "alright what's going on Rinoa, what's wrong with your mother?" he asked a little put out with the whole situation. "Father I'm not real sure how to tell you this except to come right out with it……this morning I woke up and something had changed about me" Rinoa started but paused finding it harder to say than she thought "Well what was it?" he inquired wanting this to end before he went insane. "I woke with a new sensation …… with a new power within my body" she continued choking on her words.

"A new power" he repeated in a questioning tone. "Yes, a new power …… the power of a sorceress" Rinoa finally pushed it out of her mouth. As soon as the words hit her father's ears she regretted saying them more than anything else she had ever said or done in her life.

Robert stood his eyes plastered on his daughter "the power of a sorceress" resounded in his mind. His eyes moved to Julia as she watched him carefully to see his reaction. It was like some one put his life in a small glass orb and then took a hammer and smashed it all to pieces.

At the mental drop of the hammer he lost it "this is your fucking fault, you did this to her….. it's all your fault…. you let that fucking devil kill my daughter you bitch" he screamed at Julia as his eyes narrowed on her. "Robert I promise, I didn't think that it would affect her" she pleaded as tears ran down her face. "Please believe me" she begged him. "NO! You knew this would happen and that's why you didn't tell me about it before now…. Why should I fucking believe you any way, you have probably been corrupted by this devil's magic" he growled like a madman. "Yes, that's it once it" pointing to Rinoa " is gone you will be free from it's control" he went on with a terrifying gleam in his eye.

"Daddy, what are you saying it's me Rinoa, your little girl" Rinoa said with a shaky voice as fear started to enter her mind. "Your not my little girl you're the devil that killed my little girl" he screamed "no daddy it is me, I'm still your little girl nothings changed" she cried. "Don't worry Rinoa" he said looking into the heavens I won't let this devil use your body like this, I will put an end to it right now" he said with a sad smile on his face.

"Robert don't do it she is still our daughter" Julia begged "it is not my daughter, my daughter is not a murdering sorceress she was a beautiful child that wouldn't hurt a fly, but this creature will kill just for the pleasure of killing" he carried on. "Your wrong she doesn't have to be like that, not all sorceresses kill with their powers. Only the ones that let their powers corrupt them kill" she tried to reason with him. "Shut up I don't want to hear you defend this fucking thing" he yelled at Julia.

Robert pulled the sword at his side; he was a brilliant strategist, but a poor fighter not that it would take a great one to kill an unarmed girl that was too scared to even move.

Rinoa watched as her father pulled his sword and pointed it at her. She wanted to run but couldn't find the will to make her legs work so she stood there with tears running down her face. "Please daddy don't" she tried to say but was unable to get the words past the lump in her throat.

Julia saw Robert extend his arm toward Rinoa, when he took his first step in her direction Julia reacted.

Running in front of Robert grabbing his sword hand with both of her hands, "Rinoa remember the sleep spell" she yelled "you must concentrate on making your father sleep….you have to do it Rinoa" she continued not waiting for a response.

"What are you doing Julia are you trying to help this devil" Robert asked as he grappled with his wife trying to free his arm. "Bitch I'll deal with you for this betrayal after I put an end to the devil's life" he spat at Julia.

Rinoa did as she was told when she heard her father's words "I will deal with you for this betrayal after I put an end to the devil's life"; folding her hands she lowered her head because she couldn't look at him as she used her magic on her father. _"If I don't move now not only will I die but my mother will die as well",_ she thought releasing her from the parallelizing grip of fear.

Then with one forceful throw with his free arm he pulled Julia away sending her to the floor. Julia looked up at Rinoa, praying that he wouldn't commit the horrendous sin of murdering their daughter. What Julia saw was Rinoa with her hands folded in front of her and her head bowed.

Rinoa looked up at her father; "sleep" was all she said with a low voice as one last tear running down the wet path on her cheek. Her father stopped in his tracks dropping his sword to the floor before he fell to the floor along with it.

Julia hurried as she got up from the floor to take Rinoa's hand, "we have to get out of here right now Rinoa" she said in a hurried voice. "Go and pack some clothes quickly" Julia told her in commanding voice. Rinoa looked at her mother with a dazed stare then nodded heading to her room.

Julia hoped that it wouldn't come to this but she was prepared all the same, .she had already packed some clothes and had them strapped to the saddle of a horse in the stable. Julia walked over to Robert and brushed aside his hair "I love you. I want you to know that, but I can't abandon our daughter or worse yet let you kill her. I'm sorry, please forgive…..someday" she spoke softly to him and kissed his forehead.

Rinoa returned to find her mother getting up from where her father was asleep on the floor_. "I had to do it or he would have killed me"_ her mind reasoned. Julia walked over to her putting a hand on her shoulder "you had no choice" she said as if she could read Rinoa's mind. "Let's go" she said motioning toward the door and taking one last look at her husband lying asleep on the floor "Goodbye, Robert" were her last words to her husband.

Once on horse back heading out of the castle walls Rinoa turned to her mother, "where are we going to go, everyone in Galbadia will be looking for us once father wakes up" she said as if they were just delaying her fate. "To a friend of mine's" Julia responded in a cryptic answer just in case someone was in hearing range of the two women.

The ride was hard. Julia wouldn't allow them to stop in one spot for too long. She was trying to put as much distance between them and Deling City as possible. During one of the stops to let the horses rest Rinoa questioned Julia, "mother what did father mean when he said it was your fault?" "He meant that the trait for sorcery that you received was passed down from me" she responded "the trait is carried by women that have sorcery in their bloodline. This trait is passed down to each generation of females, but it doesn't always become active, that is why I am not a sorceress, but you are. I passed it down to you" Julia continued. "So someone in your family was a sorceress, who was it?" Rinoa asked. "There have been a number of family members that have been a sorceress but you have only met one. Do you remember your great grandmother Guinevere" Julia asked Rinoa. Rinoa nodded "she was a sorceress, and she never hurt anyone in all her life. That's why he said it was my fault and that is how I know that all sorceresses aren't killers."

"Did father know about Grandmother Guinevere?" she asked Julia "No, I never told him about any of it".

"There is such a small chance that the trait will surface that I didn't want to alarm him for no reason, I mean neither my mother nor myself had an active trait so I didn't think you would." Julia explained a little down hearted. "We have rested enough lets keep moving" Julia said getting up looking at her daughter. Rinoa just smiled and nodded walking over to her horse.

After riding all night and on through the day with only periodic breaks to water the horses and to eat they reached a castle that was surrounded by forests. Julia turned to her daughter "this is Castle Straum in the kingdom of Timber …… it's were my old friend lives we will be safe here" she said in a lighter tone. "What if they find out about me? I mean won't they try to kill me as well?" Rinoa asked with doubt about their safety.

"My friend is a sorceress herself and she has a girl around your age she is training in Blue Magic, a type of magic for those not born with your gift" Rinoa stopped for a moment to let that sink in. "I want you to learn from her about your powers and how to use them to protect yourself and others" she continued. "She'll be able to teach me how to protect myself" Rinoa said amazed that there was someone who could help her.

"Who is your friend?" Rinoa asked wanting to know more about her. The two rode straight into the castle courtyard where four guards approached them. Two guards reached for the reigns of the horses while the other two kept their hands on spear axes they carried. They did not trust strangers being so close to the castle.

"My name is Julia Heartilly, I'm here to see Queen Catherine" Julia spoke up in a firm voice to show the guards she meant what she said. "Go and inform the Queen" one of the guards armed with the spear ax headed into the castle. "Until he returns you will have to stay out here, I hope you understand" the guard who was obviously in charge said.

"You never said she was the Queen" Rinoa said a little a struck by the fact that her mother knew the Queen of Timber let alone was friends with her. Julia just smiled at her daughter "I know a lot people" she counted.

A few minutes later a group of four guards walked out of the large oaken doors of the castle. Behind them a voice was heard "move aside men" the voice command in a delicate tone. The men separated like the waters of the Red Sea and out from behind the guards stood two women, both had short brown hair. The older of the two wore a purple gown while the younger had on a yellow dress not quit as finely made as the purple.

"Julia, it's been too long I've missed you so much" the older woman said with a large smile on her face as she walked toward them. Julia and Rinoa dismounted their weary horses and almost as soon as Julia was on the ground the older woman pulled her into a hug. "It's wonderful to see you too Catherine, I just wish the circumstances were better" Julia replied.

"Who is this enchanting girl with you Julia, is this Rinoa? I haven't seen her since she was just a baby. She really has grown into a real beauty just like her mother" Catherine spoke cheerfully. "Yes, this is ….. Rinoa I would like you to meet my good friend Catherine Tilmitt, Queen of Timber" Julia said motioning toward Catherine "Oh stop with the Queen of Timber part, you know you can just call me Catherine, Julia and that goes for you too Rinoa" Catherine told them both.

"Yes ma'am" Rinoa answered, "just call me Catherine, okay" she emphasized. Rinoa nodded her consent to the Queen, "oh, is that little Selphie behind you Catherine it's been so long since I've seen her" Julia cooed in shock at Selphie's size but it shouldn't have been that big of a shock, Selphie and Rinoa were the same age. "Yes, this is my daughter Selphie" Catherine said turning toward Selphie.

Rinoa was broken from her reminiscing when there was a knock at the carriage door. Looking out the window Rinoa saw Yuri on horse back looking toward her. She wondered if she had missed something and questioned whether he had been talking to her and she hadn't noticed because he glanced at her with a curious look. "Yes Yuri, is something wrong?" she asked trying not to let on if he had been talking to her. "No, I just came to tell you that we will be stopping to water the horses at the river up ahead I thought you would want to know" he said. "Oh thank you" she answered and sat back in her carriage as Yuri rode on.

The carriage ride was a long one but for Rinoa as she stared out the window watching the scenery pass by it seemed to take no time at all to get this far. She never really focused on the forest's trees or the grasses of the plains that pasted by the carriage as it moved along the dirt road curved like a river through the forest. She vaguely remembered seeing the columns of soldiers on horse back that formed two rows in front of the carriage or the fact that Yuri and Thomas were riding right along side her just outside the window. Now that the past had been blow away like the morning mist when Yuri broke her thoughts, her mind wandered through a maze of new questions and emotions, that she herself was having a hard time reigning in to figure them out. Why should one man occupy her mind so, what did he do?_ "Well that's easy he tried to kill you"_ her mind answered. _"Something about that doesn't seem right, why would he want to kill me I have never even seen him before" _she asked herself, with her heart rate quickening with just the thought of the dark stranger. _"You don't need to have met him before; it's obvious that he is a sorceress hater …… He came to kill you because of what you are not for what you have done to him …… You should have learned this by now" _her mind scolded her a little too harshly.

Rinoa's heart dropped its quickened pace at the thought of him hating her just like so many other people. _"Then why not kill me? Tell me that…… he had the perfect chance to do it and didn't answer that one"_ she retorted, _"I can't"_ was all that was thought.

_"Selphie, how long has it been since I've seen you, we were the closest of friends more like sisters. It's about time I went back to see you. I've missed you so much and we have so much catching up to do. I need someone that I can talk to about what's going on in my heart; I need someone to talk it out with. Something isn't right. Why do I have mixed emotions about a man sent to murder me? Maybe you can help me figure it out. I just need someone I can really talk to, the only other female in Seifer's army is Fujin and she is too close to Seifer for me to be able to tell her things that she shouldn't tell Seifer. _

_I mean she wouldn't just come out with it, but if he asked or if she thought it would put me or him in danger she would tell him even if I didn't want her too. But Selphie you are my sister more or less. If there's anyone I can talk to it would be you. I hope I can talk to you soon."_

Seifer and the fifty soldiers he took with him were scouring the woods that made the nature border to the plateau's cliff, "he must have made his escape through these woods" Seifer said to no one in particular as he scanned the tree line. "Why?" Fujin questioned, not trying to question his judgment but just wanting to know what made him so sure. Seifer turned to her "there is no way that second rate assassin could have climbed that cliff without be noticed…. I mean he didn't even have it in him to finish his job" he explained looking toward the cliffs.

"Fujin" he called not turning his site from the cliff. "Yes" she answered. "Just to be on the safe side I want you to go up there and take a look for yourself" Seifer order in a low tone hoping that she wouldn't find anything up there. "Affirmative" she replied pulling on the reigns of her horse and then speeding off toward the plateau. _"What does it matter if she finds anything or not? Why should it even bother me? It doesn't. If she finds something up there it will change nothing .he is still a sorry excuse for a man that couldn't even follow his orders"_ his mind went on. "_I will kill him when I find him, nothing will change at all."_

It didn't take Fujin long to reach the summit of the plateau, riding over to the cliff drop she could easily see the entire area that had been their camp site just a few hours ago. Turning her site to the forest that she had come through up the plateaus steep side she decided that there was the best place to start looking_. "Now if I had just climbed up this cliff face how far on foot could I make it"_ she asked herself as she rode into the forest. It didn't take her long to find hoof prints in the ground, dropping down from her horse to examine the prints she looked around the trees _"a horse was left waiting here that's why the heavy concentration of hoof prints"_ she deducted.

_"The tracks seem to head in this direction" _pulling herself back onto the horse she followed the trail on into the forest. After just a couple minutes ride she came upon the remnants of a camp fire _"they used dirt instead of water to put the fire out so it wouldn't billow, on top of that it makes it hard to know how long they've been gone"_ she applauded the action mentally _"he's a lot smarter than Seifer gave him credit for, shit Seifer's not going to like that at all". _

Seifer sat aggravated on his horse "stupid incompetents can't find the tracks of one damned assassin it can't be that hard" he scolded in a burst of anger. While he was yelling Fujin rode up on him. Seifer was to busy ranting to notice that Fujin was back until she was along side of him. "Didn't find anything? I didn't think you would….. this guy is not that good" Seifer went on in a mocking attitude. "Come" was all Fujin said and it was all she needed to say to deflate Seifer's superior attitude toward this assassin.

Facing Fujin he fell silent, loosing his voice for a moment, then turning to the forest "men fall in, Fujin has found something we need to investigate" Seifer called out. The word was past from one man to another till everyone was assembled in the field with Seifer and Fujin. "Lead the way" he said in lower than normal voice for him. She nodded turning toward the plateau cliff again. Seifer and his small detachment of soldiers followed Fujin up to the plateau above and into the forest until she stopped at a small clearing in the woods.

Seifer looked around for a minute until his eyes fell on the camp fire that resembled a large ant mound now. "Can you tell how long ago they left?" he asked in a calm voice. "No" was her short and sweet answer. "Find any tracks?" Seifer questioned, "No" was once again the answer he received from her.

_"How can this be, how did he scale that cliff with out being noticed not once but twice? If he was good enough to do that then why did he not kill anyone? Why spare lives after all the trouble"_ he thought quietly looking around the clearing.

"Men it seems that the assassin has slipped by us today, but I promise you we will find him. When we do revenge will be ours for the dishonor he brought upon us last night. Revenge will definitely be ours" Seifer's voice rising with every word. "We will head to Castle Straum to join up with the rest of the army; we need to make it to the Pigeon River before night to make camp. There is no way we will make it to the castle till tomorrow understood" he barked out in a voice that demanded obedience.

Squall knew they would have to stop to make camp soon; the sun was already trailing down toward the earth washing the sky in hues of orange. He just wanted to make it as far as possible before they needed to stop for the night. "Do we still have any of the deer meat left" he called over his shoulder. "Yes, do you think that I would waste it by leaving it there….get real" Irvine shouted back. "Good, then we'll keep riding till night fall…..I want to get as far as we can" Squall called back.

"Why are you in such a rush to get back, I mean the General is going to be pissed that you didn't……, I mean that we didn't kill the sorceress…… so I figured you would want to take your time getting back" Zell said breaking into the conversation. _"He has a point why would Squall want to get back so bad" _Irvine thought as he listened for Squall's response.

"Your right I did fail to kill her, but it's that exact reason I want to hurry back" Squall paused to think out the rest of his statement. "There are things that I need to ask him about" he continued. "What are you going to ask the General, shit you barely talk to him as it is unless you have to?" Zell counted without even stopping to think about his answer.

Squall looked over his shoulder catching a glimpse of Zell out of the corner of eye, _"he's right I don't talk to the General but that's going to change I have questions and I want them answered"_ he reassured himself. "That's going to change" Squall spoke up in a hard voice that told more than his words did.

When Irvine heard him respond to Zell the tone he use shocked him._ "He is really going to question the General, not because he failed his assignment but because of her ……What did she do to him to put this kind of determination in him…?What did he see in her to move him this way…?Nothing ever moves him anymore not even death" _Irvine went over silently in his head.

Zell broke Irvine's thoughts "over there, that looks like a good place to camp, we can water the horses in that brook" he said pointing. "Good eye Zell, we'll stop there for the night it's starting to get too dark to continue anyway" Irvine spoke up now that his head was clear. Squall listened to them he knew they should stop but he didn't want to. He wanted to continue to travel through the night till they reached the camp. _"Why can't I wait to question, what is pushing so hard on me to do this?"_ he thought.

"Alright let's make camp for the night" Squall finally relented after several minutes of silence. They really could have just gone over and started to make camp on their own without his say, but between them there was an unspoken role of leadership handed to Squall by the other two. So it was his word that stopped them, he could have kept riding and they would have followed but Squall took their suggestion valuing his friend's opinion more than he let them know.

The three stopped near the brook and led their horses over to the water to let them rest. "We need some fire wood" Irvine said looking at Squall hoping he would get the hint. "I'll go" Zell said bouncing up from the blanket he had just laid down "NO, Zell I need you to help me get the meat ready and to find some herbs that I'll need" Irvine shot back at him a little more forcefully than intended.

"Fine I'll go find the wood" Squall relented. Once he was out of sight Zell turned to Irvine with a questioning look. "Why did you want him to go? All the herbs you need are in your saddle bag… you never leave without them. So what's up?" Zell questioned. "I know Zell; I just needed to talk to you without Squall knowing. ….. we are going to need to watch him when we get back" Irvine told Zell. "Why what's going to happen? Is the General going to try to do something to him?" Zell asked a little worried about the idea of being outnumbered severally.

"I doubt it" was the answer Irvine gave. "Then what?" Zell demanded. "I'm not sure yet, but Squall seems determined to find answers about our little sorceress which could mean….." Irvine paused trying to figure out what he wanted to say. Zell watched Irvine intently wanting to know what he meant by that, "that he could decide to leave to find his own answers. Especially if the answers that the General gives him don't add up to whatever he felt or saw in that tent the other night …..do you understand?" Irvine finished questioning if Zell had followed him. "Yes, so we need to be ready to follow his lead and lend our help when he needs it **right" **Zell answered, Irvine was impressed by Zell's answer he really was more observant that he acted. Irvine just nodded.

Squall walked around the small wooded area near the brook looking for loose and downed limbs to use as fire wood but he wasn't alone. His thought followed him out into the trees _"why do you want to know about this sorceress so badly? They're all killers….you of all people should understand that……**it was a sorceress that ordered your family's death remember**"_ his mind scolded_. "Then why don't I believe it about her, she didn't look like she could hurt anything let alone kill someone…..why do I care so much"._ No answers came to clear his mind of the questions that plagued him, it would just have to wait till he could ask the General and hopefully he would have the answers.


	4. To Return Home

I'm sorry for the delay in getting this chapter up my editor and myself have been rather busy lately. Well any ways here is the next chapter. This is a regular disclaimer, I don't own any of the character from Final Fantasy, and the characters are the property of Square Enix. The only characters that are mine are the ones I create to go into this story. So please don't sue me that would be unlucky.

Small note any soldiers names that don't sound like first names are last names, my editor thought that they were first names. Just wanted to clear that up.

Ch.4 To Return Home

"Mulholland" a voice bellowed out of a large tent. A rather tall man, standing about 6'6", with fiery red hair acknowledging his name turned to the tent and disappeared.

Walking into the tent Mulholland saw the General sitting at a large table covered by maps and documents. "Yes sir, you called for me?" Mulholland asked with a steady voice. Looking up to answer, he saw the red headed man standing at attention just within the tent's entrance. "Yes, I want to know as soon as Leonheart and his men arrive. I want them brought to me immediately. Do you understand?…..They are to go nowhere before seeing me" he said with a hard demanding voice. "Yes sir, I will make sure of it personally" Mulholland answered saluting. "Good, you are dismissed" the General said dismissing the soldier with a wave of his hand.

Mulholland turned and left the tent, "what was that about" his partner still waiting outside asked. "The General wants to know as soon as Leonheart returns and for us to make sure that he sees the General before he does anything else" Mulholland explained. "No problem" his partner answered, turning his gaze back toward the camps entrance.

Mulholland had been looking straight ahead when he entered the General's tent. He never saw the dark figure standing in the shadows of the tent corner.

Taking a step forward a woman with hair like black sack cloth appeared out of the shadows. _"He didn't notice me or even feel my presence. I could have easily killed him that's why he isn't the kind of soldier I require"_ the woman thought. A smile crossed her lips _"but Leonheart on the other hand"_ she mused to herself.

"So they haven't returned yet" the woman said announcing her presence to the General. Looking up he caught a glimpse of the slender woman in a tight black dress with black hair, a smile crossed his lips "so you are here, I was beginning to wonder when you would grace me with your presence" he said.

"I heard you order Leonheart and his party to be brought here as soon as they arrive" she said. "Yes, I am eager to know how the mission went. I want to hear that she is dead. I want to know how he did it" the General said with a twisted gleam in his eye.

"Don't you want to hear for yourself that she's dead? I mean why wait to be debriefed, when I can order them here right away?" the General questioned. "True I would like to hear of the little bitch's demise just as much as you do, but I have a belief that allows me to wait" she said calmly smiling at him.

"What do you know that I don't, that makes you so damn calm Ultimecia?" he said in a harsh tone. She let the tone of his voice slide for now, because he is just anxious. "I know how much Squall hates sorceresses" she responded. "Damn is that all, a lot of people hate sorceress'. That's why most of these men have joined my army, because they want their chance at revenge" he said aggravated.

Ultimecia gave the General a glare that made him remember who he is talking to. The General knew that he had crossed the line by raising his voice and looked down at the documents in front of him.

"Beside Squall and his two friends are the youngest members of the army" he started but was cut off "what does that have to do with anything?" she asked. "Nothing I am just saying being as young as he is…. I mean he isn't even twenty yet how can you have such trust in him to assign him this mission?" he asked a little confused. She looked at the General and grinned then turned her gaze up to the tent roof "because I made him what he is" she said barely audible, but he heard what she had said.

"_What does she mean she made him what he is, she has no relation to Squall, so how could she have made him the way he is?_" he thought to himself as he watched her carefully. "_I still would have sent someone else_" he said to himself, not wanting to cross her again.

"I was just saying that he is young that's all, I wasn't trying to question you" he said trying to clear up any misunderstanding. "I understand your feelings on the matter, but don't worry I'm sure he handled the job accordingly" she said bringing her gaze back down to the General.

Although she watched the General as he went over papers and reports her mind wandered, "_Squall is my knight and I will move him into position for the check mate over this feeble world and if I find that I can't control him any longer then I will use his death to aid me. His life and his death are tools for me and only me, to use as I see fit_." A wicked smile curled across Ultimecia's face as she thought about how best to use Squall and his friends, she believed that she controlled every aspect of the young knight's life. Little did she know of the change that had occurred deep within the knight.

The General looked at Ultimecia and he saw her smiling for an unknown reason, "is something amusing?" he asked. She looked at him "not really, just thinking to myself" she responded, the smile never fading from her thin lips. "About?" he asked a little confused as to what could be so amusing to her. They were waiting to hear from Squall about his latest mission and the General did not really believe this to be a humorous matter. "Just about my future plans" she answered with vagueness. "Does it have to do with Leonheart?" he countered her answer.

She really didn't like the sound of that last question even though there was nothing in his voice to give her the idea that he was mad or envious of Leonheart. It was just something about him asking at all, like it was any of his concern. "_Albeit that you are the General of the Army, but I'm the one who is in charge of what happens here, I tell you who to kill and what town to attack. But you do make up the battle plans and plan out the mission to last detail so I suppose you have some right to know………… No, I don't have to explain anything to you, you fool. I only need your support and your image for the soldiers so I will continue to humor you for now_" she reasoned with herself.

"Yes, it does have to do with Leonheart" she finally told him after weighing the pro's and cons of it. The General watched her carefully before replying, "I know he's a talented fighter and he is still young so he has time to become even better; what I don't understand is why you put so much of your faith and our fate in his hands. He hasn't even been with us that long, not even three years yet." he stated with a pleading tone, wanting so badly to understand why Squall was so important to her.

"I know he hasn't been part of the army for very long and I also know that he is young, but I have seen a hidden strength within him and I will be the one to awaken that power and use it how I see fit" she told him with a firm voice. "He is my chess piece to move and I will move him until he is dead or to broken to be moved and then I will kill him myself" she said with a smile crossing her lips again. "Do you understand now?" she asked looking in his face. "Yes, I understand he is just a temporary piece to be used and discarded" he said bringing a smile to his own lips. She nodded and put her hand on his cheek "yes, now you see his purpose and we will use him till its time to discard him. You are the only one that I have brought with me and will keep you with me until the end, so don't you worry" she said with a low sultry voice. He smiled "I'm not worried about him I was just curious that's all" he said with his eyes fixed on her. He didn't really fully believe her reasoning and he knew she was keeping something from him but what he did not know.

The morning had sped by as the three soldiers made the long trek back to camp. Zell had been as true to his word as he could be, but by noon he was ready to stop and eat. Irvine was hungry as well but he wasn't going to say anything just to see how long Zell could hold up. "_I know Squall is disciplined enough to forego a meal or two if it means completing a mission faster, but Zell that's a whole other story. I am proud of him making it this far but I wonder how much longer he can last_" Irvine thought to himself as he watched Squall ride ahead of him.

Almost as if Zell had heard Irvine's thought his voice came up from the behind like a child that was asking permission to go outside after being put in time out. "Squall ….um man can we stop and eat? I know I said that I wouldn't ask to stop, but man I'm starving back here. So can we stop for just a little while?" Zell asked trying not to sound too desperate but wanting to stop and eat so badly he could already taste the food.

Squall didn't respond right away he was enjoying listening to Zell's pleads to stop, and for some strange reason Squall wanted to toy with Zell for a minute. "Squall come on man, I made it pretty far didn't I? Can't we just stop for a minute please man?" Zell's pleading voice lofted up to Squall again. A smile crossed Squall's face "you said that you could make it all the way to camp without stopping. What happened Zell, were you lying to me?" he shouted back to Zell. Zell's face fell "I know I did but …." he never got to finish, "well Zell?" came Squall's voice. "Your right, I'm sorry man, forget I asked" Zell said somberly looking downtrodden.

Squall took a glance back to see Zell the smile still on his face, "alright we'll stop at the river up ahead to eat and water the horses" Squall called out, much to Zell's relief and Irvine's amusement. He had a feeling that Squall would stop when Zell asked but just wanted to watch the exchange between the two. _"When he glanced back here I could have sworn that Squall was smiling. He was enjoying the game he was playing with Zell. It's not like Squall to let his feelings show to us something in him has already started to change and it seems to be for the better._" Irvine pondered to himself as they rode on to the river.

Zell and Irvine reached the river bank to find Squall already leading Traveler down to the water. "Thanks man, I really owe you one. I don't know how much longer I could have gone without getting some food in my stomach." Zell said. Squall looked at him "I had always planned on stopping here Zell, nothing against you but I knew that you couldn't make it all the way back to camp without stopping at least once and beside I wasn't going to ride Traveler ragged" Squall said with a hint of humor in his voice. "You know me too well man, I just want….." Zell started but was cut off "I know…, but you don't have to do what you think someone else would want you to. Just be you Zell, that's why I keep you around. You are a constant reminder that I don't always have to do what others think I should" Squall told him.

Irvine just listened, "_he is even sharing his personal thoughts with us, which means he either thinks he is going to die sometime in the near future or his defensive shell has been cracked somewhere. What could put a crack in a shell such as his; could our young sorceress have had such an effect on him already._" he wondered.

"It's a good thing that he does know you so well or your horse might of rode into camp with a withered corpse in the saddle" Irvine dropped in. "Hey man I'm not that bad" Zell countered. "Oh ya, what have you been thinking about for the past hour and be honest" Irvine asked, "well….. um to tell the truth …. about food, but that doesn't prove anything" Zell answered. "If you say so, but I think it says everything" Irvine said crossing his arms with a confident smile on his face. Zell was going to respond but gave up. "Well at least I'm honest with myself, I know I need energy to be on the top of my game and the best way to get it is through eating. So I eat to keep up my energy that's all." Zell finally said giving in to the fact that his stomach is an endless black hole that is always looking for something to put in it. Irvine smiled "that's a good point, I'll give that to you" he said.

"Irvine, if you start getting the food ready I will take your horse down to the river, is it a deal?" Irvine hesitated. "Come on you know you want to" Zell pushed. "Alright , alright, I'll get the food started. Man you get pushy when you get hungry. I feel like I'm married, yes dear I'll get right on it" Irvine teased. "Hey man, that's not funny besides I wouldn't marry you anyways. Your not my type and besides I've seen the way you treat your girlfriends; you're always looking at other girls" Zell shoot back, "hey what can I say, God did an excellent job when he made woman and I'm just admiring his handy work that's all" Irvine defended. "And whatever girl that you happen to be with at the time, I'm sure she sees it that way doesn't she" Zell said. "Well to be honest most of them get pretty mad with me, what can you do? Oh well, I'm just a healthy man that likes the ladies is there anything wrong with that" Irvine answered.

Squall just watched and listened as the two went at it. "_Irvine always has a girl around and Zell's vice is food. But what is it that I need? If I have found it I don't know it and if I haven't will I live long enough to find out what it is?_" Squall wondered.

Zell lead the horses to the river and Irvine started a fire. They spent about an hour eating and talking. The atmosphere of their conversation dropped from a light-hearted beginning to what they thought would happen upon their return.

"Squall what do you think will happen when we get back to camp? I mean what do you think the General will do?" Zell asked. "We aren't official soldiers in his army we're volunteers remember" Irvine piped up. "But we still take orders from the General right?" Zell countered. "We might take orders from him it still doesn't mean he can have us punished, it wasn't our fault" Irvine regretted saying the last part as soon as it passed his lips and wished more than anything that he could take it back.

"Your right it's not your fault that the mission wasn't a success, it's my fault" Squall finally spoke up in the discussion. "I was the one that went into the tent not the two of you, it was my choice not to complete the orders" he continued staring straight ahead. "That's not what I meant Squall and you know it" Irvine said a little protectively. "I know Irvine, it's just…." Squall started but was cut off by Irvine "don't you even try to take the blame for this Squall. We all went on this mission we were all given the order and we all decided that it was a better plan to allow you to go in on your own. It wasn't just you so don't you try to take the fall for us do you hear me?" Irvine shot back at Squall. "Irvine's right Squall, I wont let you take the fall alone I will be right there with you no matter what happens" Zell said trying to sound confident.

Squall looked at his friends "_thank you, you have no idea what that means to me_" he thought even though he would never outwardly say it to them. "Alright lets mount up and head for camp the sooner we get this over with the happier I'll be and then we make plans for our next move" Irvine said. "This is the plan first we will go back to camp and debrief the General, then we'll try to find Rinoa" Irvine suggested. "Okay I'm good to ride I think" Zell answered and Squall just nodded. "Beside the sooner we can get Squall back to his precious little sorceress the sooner he will lighten up. It really is so cute to see your children grow up" Irvine teased as he ran to his horse before Squall could get his hands on him.

Zell just laughed as he hopped onto his horse "Man he really does have a crush on her" he joked. Squall just rolled his eyes as he straightened up on Traveler "I will remember this, you do realize that don't you" he said with a slight annoyance in his voice.

"Look" Owens said as he pointed out toward the rise of a hill that leads into the camp. "What is it?" Mulholland asked as he peered out into the distance. "It's them, you better go inform the General" Owens responded. "Are you sure, I don't want to go in there and be wrong, he'll kill me" Mulholland asked. "Yes, it's them I would recognize that spiky blonde hair anywhere, its Zell" Owens assured him.

"Alright, you keep them here if I'm not back. I'm going to tell the General they are approaching" Mulholland ordered. Owens nodded as Mulholland turned back to enter the General's tent.

"General, Leonheart and his group are approaching the camp, we have just spotted them on the ridge just outside of the camp" Mulholland said saluting. "Very good, bring them in as soon as they arrive" the General ordered.

"Squall does it look like Owens is trying to wave us down?" Zell asked as he saw the tall black man standing just outside the General's tent waving his arms over his head. "It looks that way. Let's see what he wants" Squall answered. "Man I hope he doesn't want much .I want to rest and maybe even go see Shana before dealing with the General" Irvine said. "You are just asking to get your ass kicked aren't you? You know that Shana's Dart girl and yet you insist on going to see her" Zell scolded in a stern voice. "He won't do anything; beside I am just showing her what she can have if she ever smartens up" Irvine spoke up with a smile. "What a lecher, beside she loves Dart and you know that Dart has been training with Squall. So if I were you I would be careful" Zell said with a smile. Irvine looked at Squall "_Squall wouldn't let him do anything to me, would he? Then again the only time he defied an order was because of this sorceress whom he obviously likes so he might let Dart have his way to protect Shana_" he thought to himself.

"Maybe your right Zell, I guess its time for me to look for a new girl. I wouldn't want to cause a problem for Squall by getting Dart all worked up while Squall's training him" Irvine said. "Right" Zell laughed.

Squall pulled Traveler to a halt in front of the General's tent. "Were you signaling us?" he asked Owens. "Yes, the…" Owens said but was cut off by an inpatient Squall. "What do you want? We have been riding all day, we're tired, our horses are tired and I am not in the mood to have my time wasted" Squall said in a sour tone. Before Owens could answer a voice came from within the tent and Mulholland appeared "the General wants to see you for a debriefing about your mission before you do anything else" he said.

Squall eyed Mulholland for a minute then nodded; glancing back to his two friends an unspoken pact was formed "let's go and let me do the talking" was said in just that glance. Both Zell and Irvine caught the message and understood as they dismounted.

"Follow me" Mulholland said as the three fell in behind to enter the tent. "General, here are Leonheart and his companions sir." Mulholland said saluting, but Squall and others just stood silent. "Salute the General" Mulholland ordered when he noticed that the others were not saluting, "I don't salute" Squall said with a cold hard voice. He eyed Mulholland and Mulholland's anger started to rise. "You will salute the General or I will make you" Mulholland ordered as he reached for his sword. "Do you really want to do this, because there is no way you will make it out of this tent breathing" Zell said as he stepped forward. "Don't be so stupid" Squall said his with his eyes cold as ice and his fingers wrapped around the hilt of his sword.

"Mulholland that's enough, leave us" the General's voice broke through the rising tension in the air around the four men. "Yes sir" Mulholland responded saluting and exiting the tent. "_They think there so much better than the rest of us, one of these days I'll show them_" he thought as he left.

"Please excuse Mulholland he is a loyal soldier, sometimes he is just a little too serious that's all" the General said trying to clear up any misplaced anger over the dispute. The General put down the report in his hands, the tent was empty since he had dismissed his staff an hour earlier. "Well I see that all of you have returned safely, I take it then that it was a successful mission" he asked.

Squall didn't answer. He sensed another presence within the tent and began to survey the room, "_where is it coming from_" he wondered. Then his eyes fell onto the darkened corner of the tent, the shadows seemed to be moving before his eyes "_someone's there_" he thought with his hand still on the hilt of his sword.

_"Interesting, he seems to know that I'm here. No one else even noticed but he knows, he knew before he even turned around. The way he is watching and the fact that his hand is still on his sword proves it."_ Ultimecia thought to herself. _"That little bitch stood no chance against my knight. I put him into position and he does exactly what I see fit"_ she thought with a smile on her face.

Stepping out of the shadows of the tent Ultimecia walked past the three young men to sit in a chair, by the General's desk. "_Who the hell is that and where did she come from? She wasn't here when we entered and we didn't pass her on the way in._" ran through Zell and Irvine's heads as they watched Ultimecia.

Squall just watched her closely; he didn't like the looks of this but didn't say anything. "So how did the mission go? Give me the details" the General asked. Ultimecia smiled at him "_I already know how it went" _she thought, "_she's dead and there is no one left to stand in my way._" Squall still did not answer. "_Why is he not answering_" the General wondered.

"Rinoa is dead isn't she? You did kill her right?" the General asked after a moment. Squall moved his eyes from Ultimecia to the General "NO, the Sorceress Rinoa is not dead….. She is still alive and on her way to Castle Straum in Timber as we speak" Squall said with a calm voice.

The smile on Ultimecia's face faded. The General looked less than pleased with what he just heard and wondered _"if maybe there was a good reason why they failed_". "What happened on the mission? I want to hear everything" he said. Ultimecia was furious "_How could he fail me? I put my chess piece into position. He isn't supposed to fail …he is supposed to do only as I see fit. Does that bitch now control my game piece too or is it still in my hands?_" Ultimecia wondered.

Squall looked at his two friends and before they could say anything he turned back to the General "I want you to know that I went in alone. Zell and Irvine were not part of the mission's failure" Squall said. "General Caraway I scaled down the cliffs at the rear flank of the sorceress' camp and made my way up to her tent" he said pausing "Go on" Caraway ordered. "I cut my way into her tent and prepared to end her life" Squall said but stopped as his throat became dry. "_How do I put this?...I take pride in my fighting abilities, but is that the only thing I hold dear now? Most people think that I don't care about anything else, because every thing else has always been taken away from me, but is that really true? I don't want the General to think I am weaker because I am holding something or someone close to my heart._" he questioned himself.

Zell looked at Squall waiting for him to tell General Caraway that for the first time he had failed to complete a mission. Then Zell noticed how distant Squall looked and before Zell could give it a second thought Caraway's raised voice pulled him out of his thoughts.

"Well what happened?" Caraway asked becoming more annoyed with Squall's silence. "Well?" Ultimecia raised her voice tired of waiting for her chess piece to answer.

The demand from this unknown woman threw Squall off, she had been silent up until now and her demand angered him. Who was she to question him? It wasn't any of her business. "Continue Leonheart, what happened next" Caraway asked in a calmer voice. Squall brought his eyes back to the General "the opportunity to kill the sorceress never came. Her soldiers interrupted me before I could commit my sword to her death" he told them.

"So what you're telling me is that you failed to complete your mission" Caraway said with his voice rising with each word. "I was…." Squall started, "I don't want to hear it" he yelled cutting Squall off. Squall fell silent, but then the mysterious woman spoke up again "I think that's enough" she said much calmer than she had spoken before. The General eyed her for a moment and then nodded, "you're dismissed for now I will have to think on what you have told me and come up with a new plan" he instructed dismissing them with a wave of his hand.

The three turned and left the tent. Once out side Zell turned to Irvine "man he didn't need to blow up like that, it's not like Squall has ever failed before. You would think that he would give him a little leeway." Zell said. "You would think so, but maybe he got that rod that is shoved up his ass readjusted today and he is just a little testy. What do you think Squall?" Irvine asked. Squall was silent as they walked away from the tent.

"Why did you tell him you went in alone man, why did you take it all on yourself?" Zell asked. Squall just looked at him "I thought we were in this together" Irvine said "but you left us out of it man" Zell added. "I didn't want you two to take a fall for my choice not to kill her" Squall said walking toward their tent. "It might have been your choice but we stand behind it with you" Zell said putting his hand on Squall's shoulder. "Thanks" was all Squall said and he went into their tent.

"Irvine, he didn't tell Caraway that he wasn't able to kill her or the fact that he doesn't believe what they told him about her" Zell said with a questioning tone in his voice. "If he finds what he is looking for and it turns him against Caraway, do you think he wants them to know he is coming or to surprise him?" Irvine said looking to Zell. "Your right, either way I will follow him till the end man. He has always been there for me and I will do the same for him" Zell said with all honesty. "I'm with you" Irvine said and the two went into the tent to rest.

"I told you that you put to much trust in him and I was right, he has failed" Caraway said tiredly. "That is not important right now we can kill her after the ball Queen Selphie is holding in the bitch's honor. I'm more worried about why he failed. Have him watched to make sure he has been on the level with us." Ultimecia said with a curious look on her face. "_What really caused him to hold off her execution_" she wondered.

"Mulholland, get in here" Caraway yelled, "Sir, you called for me" Mulholland answered in a matter of moments after the General's yell. "Get me Drake, **NOW, **and don't let anyone else know about it" Caraway yelled completely annoyed by these circumstances. Mulholland saluted and left without saying another word.

A young man within Caraway's camp happened to be passing by Drake's tent on the outskirts of the camp. "_Why does she always send me out to get water late at night, can't she just wait till morning to ask. Just once I would like to sleep without being woken up, just once_" he thought to himself as he made his way back to his tent. He stopped in his tracks when he heard something that caught his attention "Drake, General Caraway wants to see you in his tent now, and he doesn't want anyone else to know not even your men until everything is sorted out" he heard someone say but at this moment he couldn't place who the voice belonged to. Shrugging it off for now he headed back to his tent and to finishing his nights sleep if she would let him.

The afternoon had faded away into the evening with the sun slowly fading behind the distant horizon. As Rinoa watched the sun slowly setting her eyes moved along the horizon. Then her eyes came across a silhouette. It was the great fortress city of Timber rising up in the horizon, the last rays of the sun shone behind the fortress giving it a beautiful tent of orange.

The detachment of soldiers along with Rinoa's carriage finally reached the outer walls of Timber. The city was completely surrounded by large thick ramparts making it one of the safest cities for Rinoa to stay…or so she had thought.

But now she had doubts "_what if they come for me here? Will I be safe or will I bring death and destruction to this city and a new burden to the Queen?" _Rinoa thought to herself as her carriage passed through the large gates of the outer wall. The detachment of The Soldiers of Light led Rinoa to the inner walls of the city where Castle Straum was located. The castle rose up out of the city like a pinnacle of hope to the people who lived within the city. The Castle was built within the city walls so that the people would always be safe. The army would always be near and the second wall served as inner sanctuary if the first wall should ever be breached. The fortress city of Timber has never been successfully invaded by any army, which had given the town's people a feeling of safety in this unsure world.

Now Rinoa was calling upon this fortress to give her that safe feeling as well. Was this asking too much of this great castle city?

The carriage came to stop in the courtyard of Castle Straum; the door to the carriage was opened by Yuri. "Thank you Yuri" Rinoa said as he helped her down from the carriage. Rinoa looked around as the soldier dismounted their horses.

"Form up" Marcus shouted as he walked over to the carriage. "Sorceress Rinoa, shall we send someone to inform the Queen that we have arrived?" Marcus asked. Rinoa looked to Marcus "yes, I'll send Francis to inform the Queen and her court minister" Rinoa answered him. "Francis" Rinoa called looking around, "yes, you called me" Francis answered as he walked up. "Yes, go to the throne room and inform the Queen that we arrived. Ask her what she would like us to do for now" Rinoa explained, Francis nodded and headed to the castle entrance.

_"Why the hell do I have to go talk to the Queen, why not Yuri or Thomas I mean fuck I hate royalty they always think there better than you and treat you like you're a fucking idiot" _ Francis thought as he walked down the long entrance hall. Even though he had been to Timber before he had only been inside the castle once and never really paid attention to how to get around. _"This is just fucking great. I think I'm lost, it's not like I have a fucking map to this place with me. Why does she think that I know my way around this place? The only ones who would know their way around here are Marcus and her always faithful Yuri. I mean what the fuck is up with that guy, its not like she has a thing for him so why is he so damn faithful to her? What does he get for it? There must be something." _Francis thought as he continued to get mad about being lost in the castle.

He finally made is way to the hallway that he recognized as the one leading to the throne room. _"It's about fucking time, I was getting tired of wandering around this place" _he thought as he headed down the hall. He had only made it half way down the hall when the finely carved doors of the throne room opened up and out walked six people.

Two soldiers with pike axes walked in front of a brunette in a yellow dress and a blonde in a peach outfit, with two more soldiers bringing up the rear. The group walked right past him as he stood there watching them _"who's that, I could have sworn that Queen Catherine was older than that" _he thought to himself. Francis continued toward the throne room, once there he ran into a woman that was preparing a table in the room. "Excuse me I'm from the Sorceress Rinoa's party, I'm looking for the Queen. Can you tell me where I can find her" he asked of the woman. "She just left, you must have passed her on your way here" she answered. "Thank you" was his response as he left the room _"I don't remember passing Queen Catherine on my way in, damn I must have missed her while I was wandering around lost in the castle. I had better go back and tell them I couldn't find her" _he thought.

"What do you think is taking Francis so long?" Yuri asked getting a little fidgety. "The Queen is an important and busy person he might not have been able to see her right away" Rinoa answered trying to calm Yuri down. "You would think that she would at least send someone to tell us where she wants us to camp or which stables to use for the horses" Yuri continued. "I'm sure she is taking good care of us and you need to remember yourself Yuri, she is the Queen of a land and has taken us in even though we are being hunted by another force. So keep that in mind the next time you want to question her." Rinoa said with a bite in her words.

The conversation was interrupted by the sound of the large oak doors of the castle being pulled opened. The open doors revealed the silhouette of a group of people"_I knew he would find her, I wonder how she has been after these years" _Rinoa thought to herself as she watched the group walk out of the castle toward her.

The group consisted of four guards in front that hid the members behind them, this confused Rinoa for a minute until she heard a hyper voice behind the guards yelling "Rinny, you're finally back. I have missed you so much." Then all of a sudden a yellow blur sped past the two middle guards. The next thing Rinoa knew was that she couldn't breathe from the bear hug she had been swept up into by the girl in yellow. "Hello Selphie" was all she could squeak out between desperate breathes. "Selphie ... can't ...breathe" she tried to tell her but Selphie had missed the comment and went right on squeezing.

Yuri thought that this girl in yellow was going to kill Rinoa and was about to say something when a strong feminine voice spoke up. "My lady I think it would be best if you allow Miss Rinoa to breathe before she passes out" came a voice from a blonde woman in a peach outfit. She had two whips wrapped around her waist, and a knife strapped to her wrist telling Yuri that she was not a lady in waiting. Her dress was also a good tip as it was much more form fitting allowing her to be able to move quickly if she had to _"she must be some kind of guard, but what damage could she possible do"_ Yuri thought belittling the female guard.

"Rinny you remember Quistis don't you?" Selphie hopped back releasing Rinoa, who took in a much needed breathe of fresh air. "Of course I do. How could I forget Quistis she is a dear friend" Rinoa answered smiling at the blonde that had come forward to stand by Selphie. Quistis smiled "it's wonderful to see you Rinoa, I take it everything went well on your trip then?" she asked. "Well, more or less" Rinoa answered trying to avoid, for now, the topic of what had happened last night.

That wasn't to happen as Yuri had to throw his two cents into the conversation "she was almost killed by an assassin last night in camp. He snuck into the camp with orders to kill her………" he started. "Well she's not dead so what happened?" Selphie cut in changing her tone from a hyper happy go lucky one to a serious one in a matter of moments. Quistis looked at Rinoa who had fallen silent at the mention of the assassin "I don't think this is a subject that needs to be discussed out in the open or even at this moment in time, it is best to discuss this at another time My Lady, she is here safely and that's all that matters" Quistis interjected cutting Yuri off while giving him a frosty glare.

"You're right Quistis. Come Rinoa I have had a small table prepared for us in the throne room" Selphie said her voice returning to its usually hyper tone. "What about my soldiers?" Rinoa asked. "Dirkland, show Rinoa's Soldiers' of Light the barracks and stables they may use" Selphie ordered. "Yes, your majesty" Dirkland answered putting his right hand to his chest then turning away. "You can follow me, I'll show you where the barracks are" Dirkland said. Marcus nodded "fall in men. Get yourselves bunks for the night and make sure your horse are taken care of before you eat, is that **Understood**" Marcus ordered. "Yes, sir" they answered in unison saluting and falling into line to follow Dirkland.

"Come Rinoa, lets go inside to have our dinner and to catch up on what has happened" Selphie said falling in behind the guards heading back into the castle.

Rinoa followed Selphie and Quistis into the castle, as soon as they entered the grand hall Francis ran by. "Francis" Rinoa called, stopping in his tracks "Sorceress, I couldn't find Queen Catherine anywhere" he said. Rinoa looked to Selphie hoping she wasn't hurt by the mention of her mother's name "that's okay Francis, the others have been taken to the barracks go and report to Marcus" Rinoa said. "Yes ma'am" he said saluting and then leaving. "I'm sorry Selphie he didn't know" Rinoa tried to smooth out what happened"it's okay Rinny, I'm alright lets just get going I'm getting hungry" Selphie said turning and leaving as Rinoa watched her for a minute before following after her.


	5. Hard Truths

This is a regular disclaimer, I don't own any of the character from Final Fantasy, and the characters are the property of Square Enix. The only characters that are mine are the ones I create to go into this story. So please don't sue me that would be unlucky.

Ch. 5 Hard Truths

Within the grand throne room of Castle Straum called The Room of the North Star; a four course meal had been prepared. The people had started calling the royal family the North Star of the Kingdom because the family gave guidance to the people and the nation. Now the title of North Star fell onto Selphie's petite shoulders, but she had been taught and brought up for the day that she would take over the title. It just wasn't supposed to be so soon.

"So Rinny, are you going to tell me what happened?" Selphie asked. _"Well it didn't take her long to get back to this" _Rinoa thought. "It really isn't that important Selphie. I mean I'm fine see; nothing happened" Rinoa said." Well that's not the way your personal guard made it sound" Quistis said backing up her Queen. "Quistis' right he made it sound as if you came within a heart beat of death. Rinny, that doesn't sound like nothing to me. So tell me what happened" Selphie pleaded with her friend. "If not for your Queen then for your best friends, Rinny we have always looked out for each other like sisters ever since you came to live at the castle don't leave me out now" Selphie implored. Rinoa knew she couldn't argue with Selphie, she was right. "Alright, I'll tell you but you have to listen to me until the end, no cutting in until I'm done understood" Rinoa said. "Understood" replied both women.

"Alright, last night we stopped to camp near the Margoon Plateau, everything had gone fine on the trip back until this point. Seifer set up the camp in a defensive position, putting my tent to the rear of the camp near the cliff side of the plateau, just to be on the safe side" Rinoa told them. "I was asleep when my world changed. I heard my tent tear but I will be honest with you Selphie I didn't think anything of it and shrugged it off. I know that if you had been there Quistis you would have made sure that everything was alright but I didn't" she continued lowering her head for a moment.

"Rinny, don't punish yourself over it. There was no way you could have known what would happen. It's not your fault." Quistis told her. "I know. I just feel that I should have known better than to ignore anything suspicious" Rinoa answered.

"Any way, that tear turned out to be the blade of the assassin making his way into my tent. He entered silently, so I didn't even sense him within the tent until he was almost to me and I heard his breathing. At first it was very smooth and low I could barely hear it, but as he stood there it became heavy and very easy to hear." Rinoa told them.

"Why did he just stand there, did you do something to him?" Selphie asked. _"Well so much for letting me finish _Rinoa thought to herself. "I don't know why he just stood there. I didn't do anything to him I was too scared to cast a spell on him or even think of the proper one to use" she answered.

Quistis sat silently as she had promised she would, but as she eyed Rinoa there were questions crossing her mind that would eventually need answering. _"Maybe he became scared, maybe he was interrupted, maybe he saw something he wanted to steal first, or maybe he heard someone?" _she thought to herself.

"Can I continue now Selphie?" Rinoa asked. "Oh, sorry please continue" Selphie said with a sheepish grin on her face.

"Well he just stood there above me for at least ten minutes for no reason at all. I know his hesitation gave me plenty of time to cast a spell but I couldn't move or think; I was parallelized with fear. Then, Thomas came into the tent to check on me like they do every so often. When Thomas saw the assassin he first called out to warn the others and then made the mistake of attacking this assassin without waiting for the others." Rinoa explained.

"Did he kill Thomas?" Selphie asked completely forgetting her promise once again to wait till the end. _"Why did I even bother to ask her to wait until I was finished I mean I should have known that she couldn't make it that long? Well I guess it's my fault for expecting too much" _Rinoa sighed.

"No Selphie, he didn't kill Thomas he didn't even use his sword to down Thomas and after Thomas was down he never even moved to kill him." Rinoa told them. Quistis watched Rinoa as she explained about the encounter _"she almost sounds as if she is more impressed by the man than his abilities" _she thought.

"After he dealt with Thomas, he watched me for a moment saying nothing at all and then my other guards showed up in the tent. They all charged him at once. He simply stepped back to the tent's rigging rope and cut it instead of fighting or harming anyone." Rinoa continued.

"When the tent fell on everyone he made his escape. After that Seifer formed a search party of fifty men and went out after him. But, I don't think that he'll find him." she finished.

Selphie looked closely at Rinoa as she finished the part about Seifer not finding the assassin _"I get the feeling that she doesn't want Seifer to be the one to find him, I think that she would rather be the one to do that" _she thought.

"Rinny, would you say that the man was very skilled?" Quistis asked, "yes, he seemed to be very well trained and a veteran of battle" Rinoa answered. "What makes you say he was a veteran?" Quistis wondered. "The look in his eyes, not once did fear ever enter them" Rinoa explained.

"Rinny, I have one more question" Quistis started knowing that now that she had Rinoa thinking about the man she could catch her being more honest about what she felt and thought than before. "Which impressed you more the abilities or the man?" she continued, .Rinoa didn't even think about it "the man" she answered bringing a smile to Quistis' lips.

Rinoa caught on to what she just said and tried to cover it up "I mean the abilities of the man, not the man himself I mean he was there to kill me for God's sake" she stammered to say.

While Rinoa was off guard Selphie jumped in on Quistis' idea "so what did his eyes look like when he looked at you?" Selphie asked with a grin. "Stormy blue" Rinoa answered as she remembered how powerful his stare was, it brought a slight blush to her cheeks.

"Rin, your blushing" Selphie snickered; Rinoa caught what she said and turned away so that they couldn't see her face. "Rin, you're attracted to him aren't you" Selphie continued, "of course not he's a murder" Rinoa countered.

"Who did he murder, it wasn't you because your right here blushing" Selphie teased. "But he" Rinoa began, "but he what? He changed his mind and spared your life and your guards lives" Selphie interrupted. "Rinny, Selphie has you now and he didn't do a thing when he entered your tent but stir up Seifer and your guards did he?" Quistis said stepping in.

"Well no, but…." Rinoa started but couldn't think of anything to counter with. She knew they had her. _"What am I doing, he tried to kill me… but he didn't go through with it and I want to know why. On top of that I hope the reason why is me. I know I can't hide it from them, they're like sisters to me and I shouldn't try to hide it from them. I just need to tell them." _she reasoned with herself.

"Well what Rinny" Quistis asked with the tone of the big sister coating every word "we're waiting" she continued. "Rin, its okay you can tell us" Selphie added.

Rinoa looked at her two friends knowing full well that she had to tell, if just to be able to talk to someone about it. "He was around Quisty's age and he still had the air, ability and eyes of a veteran. I want to know what made him disobey his orders to kill me; I'm sure he'll get punished for his failure and yet still he chose not to kill me. I want to know why" she told them.

"Is that all" Selphie asked knowingly, "no, I know its wrong but I want that reason to be me, I want the reason why he couldn't do it to be **me**" Rinoa said almost begging the last part to be true.

Quistis trying to get Rinoa to spell it out not just for them but for herself, "why would you want to see that man again, his job was to kill you remember? You're a sorceress not an average teenager with a normal life and family; I mean your own father wanted you dead why would you want to give this man a second chance at trying?" Quistis asked. Selphie not getting what Quistis was doing just stared at her lost; Rinoa looked at Quistis a little hurt by what she said, it attacked her dream of gaining a normal life.

_"Why the hell does she always have to know everything? Why does she think that she knows everything? I wish she would just drop it and leave me alone." _Rinoa thought as anger entered her mind.

Rinoa eyed Quistis with a mixture of hurt and anger "I don't know okay, I just want a chance to talk to him and find out the truth from him as to why he didn't kill me, that's all I want, a chance to ask my own questions. A chance to get the answers to the questions I have been asking myself" After Rinoa said the words and heard them come from her mouth she understood what Quistis was trying to do, she was trying to get Rinoa to face the desire of her heart and stop hiding it.

Rinoa's eyes went wide _"did I really say that, do I mean it? He tried to kill me. Would he really give me the chance to talk to him, is he trying to protect me, can this really be how I feel? I don't know or am just saying that" _her mind wrestled with the thought until Quistis walked over.

"Rinny, we are always behind any decision you make you know that, so don't worry" Quistis told her putting her hands on Rinoa's shoulders. Rinoa looked up to Quistis to see her smiling at her and Selphie bouncing up down saying "Rinny's got a crush, Rinny's got a crush." Rinoa smiled at them "I have missed you both so much, I've been gone for far too long. I'm not sure if that is truly how I feel but there is something about that man that I need to learn more about" she admitted.

"Well, I think that I'm going to head off to bed I'll see you in the morning" Rinoa announced trying to escape before they tried to pry any more. "Well, goodnight Rinny" Quistis said with a smile, "Rin, I will have Margaret show you to your room, have a good night's rest you deserve it" Selphie said.

"Oh Rinny, we have arranged to have a ball in your honor in four days so be ready you might meet someone there" Selphie added with a giddy laugh. Rinoa gave a weak smile and left behind Margaret who Selphie had signaled with a wave of her hand.

"Miss Rinoa here is your room, if you need anything you can ask any of the servants. Queen Selphie has said that you are to be made as comfortable as possible." Margaret told her. "Thank you, I'll be fine" Rinoa said with a smile, "very well miss" Margaret responded and left Rinoa alone.

_"Rinoa what are you doing, you told them that you wanted to talk to him. Why? What would possess you to say that? They already worry about you and now you put this on their shoulders." _Rinoa thought as she walked over to her bed and sat down.

_"And what's with this ball, I don't need them to try to set me up which is exactly why Selphie is doing this. I don't need some shallow noble that only cares about some trophy to show off. Look at my wife isn't she a beautiful and a powerful sorceress? If I tell her to she'll destroy you so you better hand over you land. Ya, that's all I need in my life what I really need is someone that power and wealth really aren't what drives them. It's not like it matters any way, I wont live long enough to find what I'm looking for even if I knew exactly who or what it was I'm looking for." _Rinoa thought with a sigh as she got undressed for bed.

"Quistis, was it just me or was something weighing heavily on Rinny's mind?" Selphie asked the slightly older woman. "I think your right Selphie, I think the near death experience has made Rin think that her time is growing short" Quistis answered.

"Rinny is still looking for something isn't she Quisty?" Selphie asked. Quistis looked at Selphie knowingly "she is looking for the thing that will give her a peaceful life and keep her safe from the dangers that have always been hunting her. But I get the feeling that she is giving up on her search because she doesn't believe that she will live much longer. She might even think that if she does find what she is looking for the fact that she's a sorceress will kill it before she has a chance to act on it" Quistis told her taking a long look at the door that moments ago Rinoa had just left through.

"Quisty we can't allow that to happen to her no matter what" Selphie said, "your right Selphie, but we need to do more than just keep her safe" Quistis added. "What do you mean?" Selphie asked. "We need to help find the thing that she's looking for, to give her that reason to keep fighting" Quistis explained.

"Well Quistis, what do you suggest we do to give her that reason for fighting" Selphie asked with her full attention on Quistis. Quistis gave Selphie a mischievous look "what better reason than to have someone by your side, you know what I mean" Quistis said with a wink.

"I get what you're saying, we need to find her a man" Selphie said with a wide smile beaming across her face. Quistis' smile spread as she nodded her head "Selphie you read my mind."

"But how do we go about finding her a man?" Selphie asked. "Easy, we just talk to her and get her reveal the qualities and characteristics she looks for in men" Quistis responded. "You must remember though not to just come out and ask her or you might give away our plan" Quistis told her.

"I understand you don't have to worry about me" Selphie said as she tapped her fingers together like she some great secret locked away in her mind. _"We'll see how long she can last without giving away our plan, but I'm not going to hold my breath" _Quistis thought knowingly.

"We'll call this the Operation Man Search" Selphie said throwing her hand into the air and hopping up and down. _"If she gets any more excited about this she just might run straight to Rin's room and ask her about her dream man, there's just no controlling her hyper activity" _Quistis' mind laughed watching her Queen hop up and down.

"Selphie it's getting late we should call it a night as well, we will put our plan into action tomorrow" Quistis told her. "Your right and just think at the ball there will hundreds of men for her to pick from" Selphie added beaming a large smile. _"That's if she wants a stuck up noble, just doesn't sound like Rin to me. Oh well once Selphie gets an idea there's no stopping her" _Quistis thought as she followed Selphie out of the throne room.

Back in the General's camp a heated discussion rages on. "Who does he think he is to disobey my order, how dare that insignificant son of bitch disobey me" Ultimecia shouted out raged. "I knew it was too much for him, and now look what's happened she's made it to Straum Castle. Now I have to send another group to deal with that Satan's bitch of an offspring." The General added.

_"Maybe I am looking at this from the wrong point of view; I can still use Leonheart to my advantage. As long as he draws breathe he is my pawn to move; into position to die because who needs a pawn that refuses to be moved." _Ultimecia thought calming down. She looked at the General who was still furious about Leonheart's report. "Don't worry too much, we still have the insider within Rinoa's camp correct?" she asked. The General looked at Ultimecia who had completely calmed down as her cunning mind start to go over her new plan. "Yes, we still have a man on the inside" he answered her.

Ultimecia walked behind the General and put her hands on his shoulders "then we can deal with Rinoa fairly easy and besides Leonheart will still be of use to us, at least for a little while longer." she told him curving a wicked smile across her lips that he never saw. "Your right, I have already sent for Drake. He will complete the mission that Leonheart failed to do, I know he will; for the right price Drake would kill anyone even his own mother. And we can use Leonheart's skills and abilities until we no longer need him." the General said smiling himself.

"Sir you sent for me" Drake said entering the tent, "yes, I have mission for you and your mercenaries" the General explained. Drake looked hard at the General "and how much will this job pay?" Drake asked questioningly.

"Name your price, but there will be one condition" Ultimecia said cutting into the conversation. "What's that?" Drake questioned. "That you don't get paid till the job is completed" Ultimecia told him. _"What kind of job is this that they are willing to pay whatever I ask as long as I complete the job before I get paid?" _Drake's mind pondered. "Fine, if that's it consider it done. So what's the mission?" Drake finally asked.

"You are to go to Castle Straum and kill Rinoa Heartilly" Caraway explained. "Now let me get this straight you want me and my men to go to Straum Castle break into the fortress surrounding it and kill the sorceress?" Drake asked with doubt in his voice. "Yes" Ultimecia answered without hesitation. "There's no way, we wont even be able to get into the fortress around the city little lone the castle itself" Drake scoffed.

"We have a way to get you in without being detected by anyone" Caraway said with a smirk on face. "How is that?" Drake questioned disbelievingly. "We have a man within Heartilly's camp, he will get you into the castle" Ultimecia explained. Drake thought for a minute rubbing his chin with his hand "and how do we meet with this inside man to find out how he is going to get us in" Drake questioned not believing they had a man on the inside.

"If the first attempt failed his is to meet our back up team, which is you, on the Harvest Road in two days at noon" the General said. "How will I know who he is?" Drake wondered aloud, "you wont, you are to take this flag with you and have it draped over the mane of your horse" Caraway said holding up a flag.

Drake eyed the flag for a minute "so do you accept the mission or do we need to find someone else" Ultimecia asked folding her arms over her chest. "No, we'll do it. We'll leave tomorrow morning to reach the meeting point on time and he had better be there and you better have my money when I get back" Drake informed them. "Good, you're dismissed" Caraway said waving Drake out of the tent.

"_If it goes as they say, she'll be dead in two days and I'll by rich" _Drake thought as he left the tent with a content look on his face.

After Drake left the tent Caraway turned to Ultimecia "we should have Leonheart watched. I don't know his reason's for disobeying the order but I don't want to take the chance he'll do it again" he said. "You're right. I will have someone watch him, don't you worry about that" she replied turning in thought.

In the same camp a woman wanders around looking for her missing boyfriend. _"Where the hell did he go? All I wanted was some water but now I can't find him anywhere" _Shauna thought annoyed at the missing man. _"I swear if I don't find him soon I'll kill him. This is just fucking stupid" _she continued her rant as she pasted another tent. Something said within the tent stopped her in her tracks. _"That voice… whose is it? I know it from someplace but from where?" _Shauna thought for a moment longer when she heard her name being called.

Turning back toward her tent she saw the person she had been searching for standing there confused to why she was missing. "Shauna, Shauna where are you?" he called out. "Right here Dart. What took you so long? I thought that you got lost on your way back" Shauna scolded. "Someone broke the bucket so I had to look for a new one, that's what took so long" Dart explained.

"Well, I was getting worried. You know I don't trust any of the men around here except for Squall, Zell, and Irvine so I was worried something had happened to you" Shauna explained. "I'm sorry that I made you worry, but I'm okay and I have the water so let's call it a night" Dart said tentatively aware that she was still a little mad at him for making her worry. "Your right it is late but, remember that I'm still upset with you" Shauna informed walking into their tent. Dart just shrugged _"what can I do, I love her and yet for some reason I also fear her. I mean she can get pretty scary when she gets mad especially if she has her bow with her. I can't really fault her; even though I don't come out and say it like she does I worry about her just as much as she worries about me." _Dart thought with a smile as he followed Shauna into the tent.

The next morning back in Straum Castle Rinoa was woken out of a peaceful slumber. The sun broke through the white drapes that covered her window putting a small sliver of light onto her delicate face. The warm sensation on her face started to rouse her from her sleep, but she wasn't ready to abandon her dream yet so she turned over. The sun had other plans for Rinoa that day because as it rose higher the small sliver of light grew and now covered her eyes. The bright light in her eyes forced her to wake up, _"I bet Quistis planned this out to give me the room facing the morning sun so that I can't sleep in. Leave it to Quistis to kill all hopes of sleeping in and of ruining a perfectly good dream. Oh, and it was so good. He was there again just like my dream when my power awoke. I wish he was real; he's always there for me protecting me, caring for me, and maybe even more. Who am I kidding though he's only real in my dreams?"_ Rinoa thought sadly on the fact that her dream will never come true.

"Good morning Quistis, your up early as always I see" Selphie said in a chipper mood. "I have to get up before you My Lady, that what a guard does" Quistis answered with a smirk. Selphie just nodded her head as she went into another room to get dressed. "Oh my gosh Quistis" Selphie squealed, Quistis left her spot by the door throwing open the door to the next room. "What's wrong, is someone in here?" Quistis asked reaching for her whips. "Today is the day we start Operation Man Search for Rinny aren't you excited. Why are you holding your whips, is something wrong" Selphie asked. Quistis just shook here head and smiled as she let herself out of the room.

Rinoa walked down the long corridor that connected the west wing of the castle to the main structure _"we haven't had any word from Seifer, I wonder if he found any tracks or if he found the assassin himself" _she thought as she opened the door to the main structure. "Oh Miss Rinoa, her majesty is in the dinning room waiting for you. She sent me to tell you that breakfast is ready" Margaret said with a smile. "Thank you, I will head there right away I know better than to make Selphie wait to eat" Rinoa joked bring a chuckle to Margaret's lips.

"Selphie just remember be subtle when you ask her, we don't want to upset her" Quistis reminded. "I know, I know I won't make her upset and I'll be sneaky about it she won't even know what I'm up to." Selphie reassured Quistis. Both sat in the dinning hall waiting for Rinoa to come down for breakfast, and then the doors at the end of the room opened as Rinoa entered.

_"No telling what these two have been talking about while they wait, I'll bet anything it has to do with me" _Rinoa thought as she made her way to the end of the table the two were sitting at. "How did you sleep Rinny" Quistis asked with a smile, "I bet the bed was more comfortable than the cots you use in your tent" she added. "Yes, the bed was wonderful and I had my first good nights rest in quite some time, thank you" Rinoa told her smiling back.

"Think nothing of it Rin your like a sister; did you think about the ball that we're having for you, it's not that far off. It's going to be so much fun. I know you'll love it. Who knows you might even meet someone nice there" Selphie said barely slow enough for the other two women to hear her correctly. _"Oh yes very subtle Selphie, I just hope Rin doesn't pick up on it yet. She might get a little upset with us meddling" _Quistis sighed mentally listening to Selphie carry on.

"Not really Selph I was real tired last night so just went on to bed" Rinoa told her. _"It was pretty much true… I was tired. I just won't tell her yet that I'm not looking to get hooked up with a noble snob, she's having to much fun" _Rinoa told herself.

"Selphie how about we let Rin eat her breakfast, we can all catch up later" Quistis said trying to spare Rinoa from a nonstop barrage of questions while she tried to eat. "Your right Quisty we have plenty of time to talk" Selphie agreed.

Rinoa gave Quistis a quick look and smile, _"thank you" _Rinoa thought but the thought was heard loud and clear by Quistis. The rest of breakfast was spent with quiet small talk, as much as Selphie wanted to continue her operation she stopped as Quistis had suggested.

Later on in the day Rinoa was sitting in the back courtyard garden thinking about what she should do about this ball. _"I know Selphie is excited about the ball, and is just trying to do something nice for me but I really don't have any desire to go. Those events just remind me of my mother and the future I'll never have" _Rinoa thought with a heavy sigh.

"Rin, I didn't know you were out here" Quistis said entering the center of the garden. Quistis saw the look on Rinoa face _"something's bothering her, I wonder what it is? Maybe it is the fact that someone tried to kill her?" _Quistis wondered. "Oh, hello Quisty. I used to come out her to think or get away from all the royal goings on in the castle" Rinoa explained.

Of all people, Quistis understood best and gave a knowing smile to her friend "I know exactly how you feel, I do the same thing especially now with Selphie planning this ball." Quistis laughed. Rinoa couldn't help herself but laugh as well as an image of Selphie running all over the castle barking out orders to the wrong people entered her mind.

"So Rin, what's going on with you that brought you out here" Quistis asked curiously. "Nothing just thinking about my trip, that's all" Rinoa said quickly. _"Well that was a fast answer, a little too fast to be true" _Quistis deducted. "Rin, it's me you don't have to lie to me. What's bothering you and you might as well know that I'll find out one way or another" she added.

_"Can't sneak anything by her, at least that hasn't changed" _Rinoa thought. "Is it about what happened on your trip back?" Quistis questioned. Rinoa looked up at her "that is only part of it, but yes it has been on my mind" Rinoa confessed. "Do you want to talk about it?" Quistis asked as she sat down next to Rinoa.

Rinoa wasn't sure if she wanted to tell everything. _"Do I really want to tell her how I feel about the idea of a ball for me or about the assassin and my mixed up thoughts about him? What about the dream that has just now returned to me. She's my friend; hell since I got here she's looked out for me so what am I so worried about. The fact that if I tell her it might change the way she acts around me. Would that really happen, would she change towards me? NO, she wouldn't. I know I can trust her." _her mental battle raged until the victor broke through believing in her friend.

"Quisty there are so many things running through my head that I don't know where to begin" Rinoa started. "Just start where you feel comfortable. There's no rush we have plenty of time to talk okay" Quistis said squeezing Rinoa's hand.

Rinoa nodded "well I told you that I was targeted by an assassin on our way back to the castle right?" she asked looking to Quistis. "Yes I remember, did something else happen?" Quistis asked. "I don't know. Seifer went off with about fifty men or so to find the assassin, which I know was what he should have done and part of me wants him to find him" Rinoa suddenly stopped. "And the other part of you Rin, what does it want?" Quistis softly asked so not to scare Rinoa. Rinoa looked at Quistis but then looked away as if she were ashamed. "The other part of me doesn't want Seifer to find him. I know if Seifer finds him he will kill him. I want him found so I can ask him why, not to kill him" she explained. "Why what Rinny?" Quistis prodded. "Why he didn't kill me, that's what everyone wants right. They all want my blood so why not kill me, why leave me alive" Rinoa told her.

Quistis knew well enough that the idea that everyone who found out she was a sorceress became fearful of her or wanted to kill her tore at Rinoa's heart. "Rin, there are people in the world who don't want to kill you, they want to protect you" Quistis told her. Rinoa turned toward her "like who, who is there that wants to protect me?" Rinoa said letting a harsh edge creep into her words. "Me for one, Selphie, Seifer, Fujin, and what about Yuri and others; they don't want you dead. We all try to protect you as best as we can. Yuri and your other guards do it with their lives just like I would if I needed to" Quistis told her completely ignoring the harshness of Rinoa's words.

Rinoa looked down, "I know I didn't mean it like that, I know that you and the others wouldn't hurt me. It would just be nice not to be hunted all the time for no reason" she tried to explain. "Rin I can understand. You just want to be able to live a normal life, but you are special so it's hard for you to have that kind of life" Quistis said. "I didn't want this, I didn't want to be special I just want to be like everyone else. I want to be able to live in a town and not fear that someone is going to try to kill me, I would like to be able to meet someone on my own and pray that they don't find out about my powers I didn't think that was so much to ask for" Rinoa said in a horse voice.

"Rin, it's not. You just have to keep looking for that place and that person. Maybe the place is here in Timber but finding the person is solely up to you" Quistis said with smile. Rinoa smiled at that comment "sounds good and thanks Quistis, I do feel better" she said. "Any time, and if you ever need to talk again you know where to find me" Quistis said getting up and leaving Rinoa to her thoughts.

_"If only I was going to live long enough to find that place and person, but I feel like my time on this Earth is fading away, Mother I'll see you soon" _Rinoa thought as she watched Quistis leave.

The sunrise that morning was breathtaking as the orange color of the new day washed over General Caraway's camp. There was only one person awake to see the magnificent site as it painted the sky with it's oranges and reds.

Squall stood outside his tent watching as the night was swept away by the hand of the sun. It was nothing new for Squall to be up at this hour but it was the first time that he really noticed the sunrise. _"How many mornings have I seen this same sight, but yet I didn't see it" _Squall thought as he watched.

Taking his sword he walked out of the camp to a clearing just past the edge of camp. He walked over to boulder where he laid a towel and removed his shirt. Taking a deep breathe he assumed a ready combat stance and fixed his eyes straight ahead. His early morning routine began as he swung his sword down making several quick controlled slashes with the blade.

Dart's eyes shot open all of sudden, turning to Shauna he saw she was still sleeping peacefully _"wonder what woke me up" _he thought for a minute. Closing his eyes he was about to return to his peaceful slumber when his eyes caught sight of light coming in through the flaps of his tent. "Oh shit" Dart shot up out of his bed, glanced to make sure he hadn't woken up Shauna. _"Good job, your supposed to be training with Squall right now" _Dart scolded himself as he ran out of the tent with his sword in hand.

When Dart approached Squall's tent he wasn't outside, but as he got closer he saw Squall out in the clearing practicing. Dart stopped for a minute and watched as Squall trained _"he moves without even thinking, it's fluid and effortless to him like he was born to hold that sword. Like God gave him a purpose with his sword, but I don't think that purpose is here. Here his sword is only used for killing. I don't know why but I think his sword is meant to protect something; something great" _Dart thought.

Squall took a step forward as he swung the sword down and then immediately bringing it back up with a diagonal swipe. He had been going for about an hour now and had just now started to sweat, lowering his blade he walked over to a boulder were a towel was laying. Taking the towel he wiped his face off and then his chest, "Squall, man I'm sorry I'm late. I over slept" a voice that he recognized to be Dart's said. Squall turned around and look at the blonde young man "it's alright, I've just be practicing for a while it's no big deal" Squall told him. "So get ready and we'll start" Squall said as he walked past Dart as Dart removed his shirt and throw down a towel as well.

"Have you been training while I was gone" Squall asked the younger man, "yes I have you'll see I'll get you today" Dart said raising his blade. "We'll see about that" Squall responded bringing his blade up.

Dart started in Squall's direction as soon as his sword was half way up, not catching Squall off guard at all the two blades met with a resounding clang shattering the stillness of the morning.

"What was that" Zell asked as his head popped up, "its nothing don't worry about it, it's just Squall and Dart training outside" Irvine answered. "Oh, why can't they do that farther away from the tent" he asked Irvine, "because it didn't used to be Squall and Dart it used to be just Squall so there was no reason for him to go any farther" Irvine explained with a yawn. "Then that kid and his girlfriend joined the camp and ever since he's been training with Squall" he continued. "Ya, I wonder how he got Squall to agree to train him" Zell pondered, "something about being able to protect Shauna, he wanted to be strong enough to protect her and you know how Squall gets sometimes" Irvine told him.

"So do you think we should get up or just try to ignore the ruckus outside" Irvine asked. He got no response from Zell, sitting up to look at Zell he saw him with a pillow over his head. _"I guess that answers that question" _Irvine thought.

Dart and Squall's blades met with each one pushing on their blade trying to force the other back. _"He's getting better; he's really making a fight out of this. He's come a long way; I used to be able to defeat him with little effort. Good job kid, you'll be able to protect her from now on" _Squall thought.

They pushed away from each other "you ready to give up Dart" Squall asked taking in deep breathes. "No way, I almost have you" Dart responded between heavy breathes, Squall just smiled _"kid's got guts, I like that about him"._

Dart charged once again, _"if I don't put an end to this soon I'm going to be too tired to finish this" _he thought. Squall watched Dart closely and saw that fatigue was starting to get to him. Dart raise his sword over his shoulder and was about to bring it down when he felt a powerful blow to his chest. Squall lowered his shoulder and stepped forward closing the distance between the two not allowing Dart to attack. When his shoulder hit Dart's chest he heard the wind leave Dart's body as he fell to the ground gasping for air.

Looking up Dart saw the tip of Squall's blade pointing at him, _"I wonder for how many this has been their last sight" _he thought as he looked at the sword. Squall smiled and lifted his sword away "you're doing much better, you just need more stamina. Your swordsmanship and technique are good you just started to get tired that's all" Squall told him. "Thanks" was all Dart could get out between gasps of air.

"Let's call it a day and get something to eat as soon as you can get up" Squall said as he walked back over dropping a towel on Dart's head. Dart just nodded his consent with the towel still on his head.

"Zell wake up" Irvine yelled as he kicked him, "what, what's going on" Zell asked as he hurriedly jumped out of bed falling on the ground. "Are we being attacked, what's going on?" Zell said as he got up. "Nope, no one is attacking I just thought that maybe you would like to get something to eat or would you rather be left behind?" Irvine asked knowing full well what the answer would be with Zell's stomach.

"Do you even need to ask me that?" Zell asked immediately, "So you did want me to wake you for breakfast?" Irvine countered. "Is the Pope Catholic?" Zell respond getting a smile out of Irvine as he walked pasted him. Then Irvine's smile turn into a question "I don't know is he?" he asked. "Oh this is awkward" Zell said rubbing his neck, "why's that?" Irvine asked. "Well I don't even know who or what a Pope is so I don't know if he's Catholic" Zell told him. "Then why did you say it?" Irvine questioned, "I really didn't think that you would ask" he responded with a sheepish smile. Irvine just shuck head and walked out the tent followed by Zell. "But you have to admit it was pretty good, right?" Zell asked and received no reply.

Outside the tent Zell and Irvine started a fire and prepared to start cooking. Zell looked around "hey Zell how much do you think we should cook?" Irvine asked in all honesty. "Are you really asking me" Zell questioned looking at Irvine, "good point" Irvine replied.

"I would fix enough for everyone" Squall's voice said from behind the two men catching them off guard. "Damn it Squall I hate it when you do that" Irvine yelled as he turned to look at Squall. Squall was holding Zell's fist in his hand, when he walked up on the two of them and startled them Zell's first reaction was to punch the intruder "sorry about that Squall, force of habit" Zell told him, "it's fine besides it's not like you hit me" Squall said with a smile.

"Well you're just lucky that I didn't put in power behind it or you would be on your ass" Zell said fuming with his clinched fist in front of him. "Your right Zell, I would hate to be on the receiving side of that" Squall told him looking toward Irvine. Zell smiled "tell me about it, I would hate to be on the receiving side of it too" he said.

Shauna woke to find she was alone in the tent, _"no surprise" _she thought with a small smile crossing his lips. _"He's out training with Squall again, he really has taken a liking to him which is good, Dart usually just brushed others off. I wonder what it was about Squall that changed Dart, their very similar men I think both loners for some reason. Whatever the reason is I'm happy with the change in Dart" _she thought. "Well it's time for breakfast, if I don't hurry Zell will eat it all" she said putting her boots on and heading out.

"Squall what do you think will happen with the mission since we didn't complete it" Irvine asked. "What you didn't complete the mission" Dart asked almost choking on his food out of shock from what he just heard. "Ya, I know how you feel Dart it's a shocker but I'm sure Squall has a good reason why so don't worry" Zell told him as he put more food into his mouth. _"How much food can he fit in his mouth at one time? that's not important right now …why didn't they complete the mission ? Squall's never failed to finish a mission since I've known him and from what I've heard around camp he's the best so what happened?" _Dart thought trying to catch his breath after almost choking.

"Things just didn't add up for me, so I decided I would find out the truth before I chose the sorceress' fate" Squall explained. "So you are going to complete the mission at another time, is that what you saying" Dart asked. "Something like that" he told Dart.

"I told the General that I would choose the sorceress' fate" Squall said, "true but I don't think that that lady and the General seem like the waiting type" Zell said licking his fingers. "Zell's right Squall, I would wager that they have already assigned the clean up mission to someone else" Irvine told him. "It doesn't need to be cleaned up I just want the facts first that's all, I'll take care of it" Squall said getting a little annoyed.

"Irvine if they did give the assignment to someone else who do you think they would choose" Dart asked. "I'm not real sure but if I had to pick one I would say Drake, if you pay him enough he would kill his own men and even his mother" Irvine said. "Really, is he really that cut throat" Dart asked, "the man has no loyalty or honor" Squall said.

"Well, I don't know if this means anything but last night Shauna" Dart started until he was cut off, "oh yes Shauna, how is that little vixen?" Irvine asked. Dart turned to Irvine not pleased at all with the comment "she's fine, thank you for asking" he said between a forced smile. "Man I told you to stay away from her" Zell whispered in Irvine's ear, "I know I just like to get a rise out of him" he explained. Zell just rolled his eyes and put another helping into his mouth.

"Go on Dart" Squall said eyeing Irvine telling him to watch it with Dart. "Well last night I went to get water for Shauna" he explained looking at Irvine with a watchful eye, "and I over heard Mulholland telling Drake to report to Caraway's tent and not to let anyone know" he told them.

"What about Drake and Zell there had better be food left" Shauna said as she walked up and sat next to Dart. "Good morning Shauna, aren't you looking lovely today" Irvine said as he watched Dart's jaw tighten. "Thank you Irvine at least someone around here is enough of a gentleman to say so" she said making Dart's anger rise. _"This could end badly, I better do something" _ Zell thought turning to Dart "don't you agree with Irvine Dart, I mean you were just telling he how beautiful she looked sleeping before you left" he said. Dart's anger decreased as Shauna turned to him "did you really say that Dart, that's so sweet" she said smiling brightly at him. Dart just gave a slight blush and rubbed the back of neck, Shauna leaned over and kissed his cheek.

Irvine gave Zell a perturbed look "why did you do that, I almost had him going" Irvine scolded under his breathe. "Because I didn't want him to kill you, sorry next time I'll let him use the sword that **Squall** has been training him to use more effectively on you" Zell said matter-of-factly. "Okay, you have a good point there maybe I should lay off the kid a bit" Irvine admitted looking at the young couple.

"What were you guys saying about Drake" Shauna asked, "I was telling them that while I was getting water last night I heard Drake get called to Caraway's tent" Dart explained. "Oh, because I heard him get orders to go to Straum Castle" Shauna said as a side note. "When did you hear this, what was said" Squall asked a little more anxious than he wanted to show.

"Well I was out looking for Dart and happened by the General's tent and heard him say that he was sending Drake and Drake's men as the back up team to Straum Castle. That they were to meet an inside member of the sorceress' party on the Harvest Road in like two days I think" she said. "Did you hear who the insider was, or when they were to kill her?" Squall asked in an irritated voice. "No, that's all I heard, Dart showed up around that time sorry' she said. "Its fine, I didn't mean to snap there I'm sorry" he said, Shauna just nodded her acceptance of his apology.

"Squall what do you want to do? If he sent Drake she's as good as dead" Zell told him. "Zell's right Squall, .now you saw something in her to keep you from killing her that night. Are you going to let that go and allow Drake to kill her or are you going to do something? I'm with you no matter what" Irvine said. "Me too Squall, I'm with you" Zell added, "same here" Dart and Shauna said in unison.

Squall sat silently as thoughts ran through his head, _"what do I do? I haven't found out anything about her and my feeling that she hasn't done anything hasn't changed. But she is a sorceress and a sorceress condemned my family, but does it mean that she's a killer. What do I do, please mother tell me what I should do" _he silently begged as he looked to the sky.


	6. Decisions

This is a regular disclaimer, I don't own any of the character from Final Fantasy, and the characters are the property of Square Enix. The only characters that are mine are the ones I create to go into this story. So please don't sue me that would be unlucky.

Ch. 6 Decisions

Squall looked out over the grassy plains as he sat thinking of what to do. _"Does it really matter that Drake has been assigned the mission, my duty was to kill her and I failed so now my duty is to stand behind the General's new orders. But I'm divided; a part of me knows what my duty is to the army and that I should follow it but another part of me, one that seems to be growing stronger, tells me that I shouldn't allow this. I should go to the aid of the sorceress, but why? A sorceress ordered the death of my parents. But was it her? Did she have them killed or am I just putting her in the same category as the other because she is a sorceress" _his mind argued.

"Hey man, are you okay" Zell asked pulling Squall out of his thoughts. Squall turned to look at him "you kind of worried us when you went silent after hearing that Drake was sent to Timber, and then you just up and walked away without a word" Zell commented. "I'm fine, I just needed to think for a minute" Squall said, but as he looked at Zell his eyes seemed to be blurring and he couldn't keep them focused. Looking down Squall put his hand to his head as it started to spin and before Zell could voice his concern for his friend Squall fell back off the rock he was sitting on.

"Squall are you okay, Squall? Squall wake up" Zell shouted looking down on him, when he didn't make any movement Zell went back to get the others.

"What do you think is on Squall's mind?" Dart asked as he looked at Irvine. Irvine thought for a minute _"that's one question that I don't think anyone would be able to answer but at the same time the one that's on all our minds". _ "I couldn't even begin to have any idea what going on in his head" Irvine told him, when Zell came running up on the group.

"Zell what's wrong? You look as if something scared you out of your mind" Shauna said. "Where's Squall, didn't he come back with you?" she asked. "That's the problem" he blurted out, "I was talking to him and then he just passed out or something and fell to the ground. I can't wake him" Zell said while trying to catch his breath.

"Where is he?" Irvine asked standing up, Zell motioned for him to follow him back to Squall. "We're coming as well, I know a good bit about medicine I might be able to help him" Shauna said. The three followed Zell back to the group of rocks overlooking the grass plains and found Squall out cold right where Zell had told them.

"Lets get him back to the tent, it will be easier to care for him there" Shauna said coming up on there fallen friend. "Dart give me a hand, take his legs" Zell instructed as he took hold of Squall under his arms.

The two men carried Squall back to the tent and placed him on one of the beds. "Irvine start a fire, Zell go and get me some water, and Dart I need you to go to our tent and get my books and notes on medicines" Shauna instructed, without wasting anytime all three men left the tent to carry out their assigned task. _"I will do everything I can for you Squall, but you are going to have to help me" _she silently told him.

Squall opened his eyes to his new surroundings. _"Where am I, I don't recognize this place. Wasn't I just sitting on a rock talking to Zell, so how did I get here?" _he thought as his eyes scanned the scenery. Then a voice broke his thoughts, well not as much the voice as the name that was called.

"Laguna, what are you doing here you know the Estharian soldiers will be here soon" a beautiful and familiar looking young woman told him. _"Did she just address me by my father's name?" _Squall questioned. He wanted to ask her where he was and why she called him Laguna, but that's not what came out of his mouth. "I'm not going to let them hurt you or your grandmother. She hasn't done anything to deserve this she's never harmed anyone" a voice said from Squall's mouth. _"Where did that come from? I have no idea what's going on here. I don't even know where here is. And whose voice was that that came out of my mouth, it's not mine. What's going on here?_" Squall thought.

"I don't want you to get hurt Laguna" she started, _"she called me Laguna again, is she mistaken or…" _Squall thought. "This isn't your fight. There is no need for you to risk your life here…" she continued but was cut off. "Julia I don't want to hear it, I won't let them drive you away from me" Laguna said, _"Julia? I remember father telling me about a Julia once. That means that this is his past" _Squall's mind screamed at the realization of what he was being a witness to.

"Laguna, listen to me please. I might loose my grandmother today I don't want to loose you as well. I don't think I could take that much loss in life" she told him. "You don't have to worry, you aren't going to lose anyone today" he said putting his hands on her shoulders. The scene was destroyed by a male voice "excuse me, may I ask you where I can find the Heartilly house hold" a dark skinned man asked.

"What do you want with the Heartilly's?" Laguna asked glaring at the man. "It really doesn't concern you. Now if you'll be so kind as to tell me where I can find them" the man responded. Laguna didn't like the dark man's answer or the tone of his voice "I don't think so, you might as well turn around and leave" he told the darker man.

This absolutely infuriated the man "how dare you talk that way to me you impertinent peasant" he yelled at Laguna. Laguna just smiled at him bowing, this action caused the dark man to dismount his horse followed by the nine men that accompanied him. "What's wrong Your Highness, didn't like the answer? Well that's too bad because you won't ever find the Heartilly family" Laguna said with spite in his voice and his hand on the hilt of his sword. _"What is my father doing he's out numbered ten to one, and for what the family of that sorceress……Rinoa's family?" _his mind stopped on the last name of the family his father was protecting _"why father" _were the only thoughts he could muster.

"You seem determined to protect the family of a known sorceress that means that she has used her powers to take control of your mind. I'm sorry about this but you must die so that I can find her. I wish I could release you from her power but since you won't help me that seems unlikely" the dark man said pulling two sharp blades which acted as an extension of his arms. _"Don't see many people using a katal" _Squall's mind told him.

Laguna pulled his sword with one hand and pulled Julia behind him with the other. "It is unlikely because she has not used her powers on me; I do this of my own free will. Guinevere Heartilly hasn't done anything wrong, she has never hurt anyone" Laguna said with spite filling his voice. "I know better than to believe one of her followers, she's a sorceress so of course she's hurt people. They all do. They are all killers, which need to be dealt with before they strike again" the dark man shouted.

_"He wants to kill her just because she's a sorceress, not because she's done anything wrong. Is that what I was doing?" _Squall's mind questioned.

"You're a fool; you just believe anything you're told without a thought of your own. If you want to find them so bad you'll have to get past me first" Laguna said holding his sword in front of him. "No one calls me a fool and lives to talk about it. So be it, you'll be the first to die today" the dark man said. "Big talk, but so far that's all you've done" Laguna said knowing full well it would drive his opponent to attack.

_"Father's egging him into a fight. By jabbing at him he will get him to attack without control or clear thought, very clever" _Squall thought smiling inwardly.

"You'll regret those words" the man said moving forward his men falling in behind him to attack. "This seems fair ten on one. So the big man needs help taking on one mind-controlled peasant" Laguna jabbed smiling.

"I don't need anyone's help, stay out of this he's all mine" the man said, his men stopped where they were. Charging at Laguna the dark skinned man swung out his left blade but was blocked by Laguna's sword. Bringing his right arm down the dark skinned man thought he had him beat, but was surprised when Laguna caught his right arm stopping the blade.

Looking into the eyes of the dark skinned man Laguna smiled and then head butted him sending him stumbling back then dropping to a knee. A second was all Laguna needed, with blurred vision the dark man saw Laguna's blade coming down in his direction. He put up both his blades to block it, but never felt the impact from the attack. Looking up he caught just a glimpse of Laguna, who had planted his foot and then pivoted to come to the dark skinned man's side in one motion.

Once at his side Laguna brought his blade to back of the man's neck, the cold steel touched the neck of the dark skinned man _"I have been defeated, and he did it with such ease" _the man thought letting go of his katal.

"Now do believe me that I'm not being controlled, there is no way that I could move that freely if I was being controlled by someone" Laguna said. "I'm not going to kill you, I never wanted to from the beginning I just wanted to protect them that's all" he told the darker man.

"Can I know the name of the man that has defeated me?" the man asked. "It's Laguna Loire" Laguna answered him. "I'll remember that, my name is Kiros Seagill" the darker man said. "I'm honored to meet you. You seem to be a man that is open to new ideas so listen to me for just a moment. Not all sorceresses become corrupted by their powers, some live normal lives or as normal as possible. They try to live with and help others all while protecting their secret. Please understand that Guinevere Heartilly is one of those people. Besides she is seventy years old, it's not like she's going to go on a killing spree" Laguna told him.

Guinevere had been watching from the woods and stepped out after she heard Laguna say her name. Kiros looked at her _"I came all this way to kill this woman? She doesn't look like she would harm anyone. She also has someone like him willing to die to protect her and her family even if it destroys his name, she can't be what my father said she is" _Kiros thought.

"It's not going to be easy to convince others of what you say, but I believe you. You have my word that no else from Esthar will come looking for this family" Kiros told him. "Thank you, that's all I ask of you" Laguna said and was about to take his blade away when a scream rang out.

Laguna looked up to where Julia had been standing but she was gone; his eyes followed a path back to Kiros' men. She was being held with a knife at her throat by one of Kiros' men.

"_She looks so familiar to me, but why" _Squall thought as he continued to watch through his fathers' eyes.

Kiros knew something was wrong from the look of fear on Guinevere's face, "let her go" Laguna shouted just sealed it for Kiros. "I bet she is a sorceress as well, that's why your protecting them isn't it. I really can't blame you she is beautiful, maybe I'll have a little fun with her before I rid the world of her presence" one of the soldiers said.

With Kiros still on his knee with a blade to his neck he called out to his men. "I have given my word to this man that we would not harm this family unless they brought cause for it. Now let the young woman go she is not part of this. Do you understand?" Kiros said in a strong voice. "No I don't understand, we were sent here to kill the sorceress and her descendants so why aren't we doing that?" one of the men said while the others stood stunned by his actions.

_"That asshole what right does he have to kill that woman she's not part of it, she's not a sorceress she didn't anything to deserve this… treatment" _the last word barely getting out of Squall's mind as he watched. _"What right does he have to kill her for no reason" _his mind continued scolding not only the soldier but Squall felt it was scolding him as well.

All of sudden he felt his father move forward _"what is he doing he'll kill her"_ Squall thought. "Don't take another step or you will be putting her head back on for her" the soldier said.

Kiros felt that the blade had left the back of his neck and turned just in time to see Laguna act. "I won't let you hurt her" he yelled as blood started to run down Julia's neck from a small cut.

Dropping his sword Laguna broke into a sprint, when he dropped the sword the soldier let down his guard for a moment thinking he had won this stand off. But was terribly disappointed when in seconds Laguna was right in front of him pulling his arm away from Julia.

In a desperate attempt to stop Laguna he pulled his arm away as Laguna took Julia into his arms. With his arm free he lunged out to kill Julia, knowing it would destroy Laguna worse than anything he could do to him. Laguna saw it and threw Julia to the ground, the knife impaled Laguna just under the heart.

The soldier smiled "you should have just left her with me. And just to let you know so you can die in piece, she'll be joining you as soon as I'm done having my way with her" the soldier said smirking.

_"What is going on, my father can't die here. There's no way he can die" _Squall's mind panicked.

The smirk didn't last long as Laguna pulled the knife from his chest and drove it through the soldier's neck and across slashing half of his neck away. The soldier's eyes went wide as blood ran out of his mouth, grasping his throat he fell to his knees. Looking up at Laguna he fell back.

Laguna watched him fall back and dropped the knife to the ground "I didn't want to kill anyone you fool, but you forced me to when you endangered Julia" he said as he dropped down to his knees looking at Julia.

Julia scrambled on her hands and knees to Laguna and took him in her arms. "Don't leave me Laguna, please. You promised me that I wouldn't loose anyone today, you promised" she cried clutching him closer. "I'm sorry that I can't keep my word, I really tried" Laguna said running his fingers through her hair.

Kiros walked over and looked down on the scene, "sir, what do you want us to do about Albert's death" another soldier asked. "Nothing, he disobeyed a direct order. He brought it on himself" Kiros told him.

"Grandmother please can you save him, don't you have a spell that can heal him?" Julia pleaded. Guinevere walked over with sad eyes "I'm sorry my child, I have only a weak healing spell. I only studied water spells to help my father and husband in the fields, so I never learned any more powerful spells in healing or any other elementals. I just concentrated on water magic I'm sorry" she told Julia with a soft voice.

"He did it to save me, he is going to die because of me" Julia cried burying her face into his chest. "If I may be of some help, we might be able to help him" Kiros said putting his hand on Julia's back. She looked up at with anger in her eyes "don't you think that you and your men have helped enough. If it wasn't for you he wouldn't be hurt would he" Julia spat at Kiros.

"Please give him a chance Julia; he is a good man and a man of his word. I'm willing to trust him with my life and all I ask is that you trust him as well" Laguna said between quick breathes. Julia nodded and turned to Kiros, "we have a healer back at our camp she knows of many medicines and may be able to save him but we must hurry" he told her.

Laguna nodded his consent to go with Kiros and despite the fact that Julia didn't want to let him go she agreed as well. "This will help him temporarily, it will give him a better chance of making it to their healer" Guinevere said laying her hands on Laguna's chest. A white light gathered at her hands and then spread around his body, after the light dissipated the bleeding slowed down but didn't stop. "You must hurry, your healer is his only chance" Guinevere said.

Kiros pulled the weak Laguna up onto his horse and looked at the two women "I have been the shown the error of our thinking and I'm truly sorry for what we tried to do and for what we have done. I'm sorry, I know it's not much but I truly am and I will make sure that everything possible is done for him. You have my word" Kiros said just before he spurred his horse on.

_"My father protected a sorceress, and then a sorceress aided in trying to save him. Why would a sorceress do that? Why would he do that?" _Squall's mind questioned.

His sight went black again but he didn't feel dizzy this time, then all of sudden light entered his eyes again. He saw himself as a young boy _"that's me when I was about ten, does this mean I'm still see through my father's eyes" _Squall asked himself.

There was a woman in front of him but this time he recognized her _"mother, I miss you and father so much" _he silently said. The sight of her brought back memories some good and others painful.

Laguna stood behind his wife holding her protectively, "son I think that you are old enough to hear this" he started. "I know that you have learned about sorceresses and probably have heard people talk bad about them but I want you to know something" he said to his young son.

The younger Squall looked at his father curiously with a childlike innocence in his face. "Not all sorceresses are evil, not all of them want to hurt people. There are sorceresses out there that don't want to hurt anyone at all. It's those sorceresses that will need protection" Laguna said.

_"Why would he tell me this, I always wondered what he was trying to tell me but by the time I was old enough to understand or to ask he was dead" _Squall thought.

But then something happened that Squall never noticed in his youth, Laguna's vision moved from his son to his wife.

_"Why is he looking at mother?" _was the only question he got out of his mind when he started to get dizzy and his vision went black.

"That's all I can do for him, we are going to just have to wait for him to wake up" Shauna informed the others in the tent. She placed another cold towel on Squall's head and looked up at the concerned faces of the others.

_"Please Squall wake up, I know you don't know me very well but just like Dart I look to you for guidance and help. We all need you so please come back to us" _Shauna thought as she looked back down at him.

Shauna sat vigilantly at his side changing the towels; the others had stepped out for the moment to think when he started to stir. "Squall, Squall can you hear me" Shauna asked, "ya, where am I" he asked putting his hand to his head. "We brought you into your tent to lay you down, how are you feeling" she asked. "I've felt better, my head is a little dizzy but other than that I'm good" he said.

Then he realized that he was talking out of his own mouth and with his own words _"I'm back, it's time to decide on my path and follow it" _he thought as he sat up taking the towel off his head. "Thank you" he said handing the towel to Shauna, she just smiled.

"Can you get the others for me" he asked in a calm voice. "Sure thing, I'll be right back" she said getting up and leaving the tent.

In just a matter of moments Zell came running into the tent, when he saw Squall sitting there he punched the air "oh ya man, it's about time you woke up but you do know if you would sleep in longer you wouldn't get so tired" he said smiling. Squall looked at him and smiled.

The other three weren't that far behind Zell, "how are you doing, are you feeling okay" Irvine asked. "What happened to you" Dart asked, "I'm doing fine and all I know is that I dreamed about the past. That's all I know. I don't know why it hit me all of sudden or why it made me fall asleep instead of happening when I was already asleep" Squall told them.

"Sounds like maybe someone or something is trying to tell you something" Shauna said. Squall looked at her stunned _"maybe that's what that was about, but who and what were they trying to tell me" _he thought.

"Look man about the Drake thing, I know that was what you were thinking about when this happened. I know how you strongly you feel about your duty to this army; I just have one thing to say. The only true duty that you should hold above all others is the duty to yourself and those that are close to you" Zell said rubbing his neck.

The entire tent went silent as all eyes fell on Zell; it wasn't like him to give advice like that. _"He really is a good friend and knows me better than I thought. Who would have guessed that he had something like that in his head, I thought that only food passed through his thoughts" _Squall thought.

"Thank you Zell, your right it's about time I do what I want to do" Squall said. Everyone smiled, "Zell I want you to find out as quietly as possible if Drake has left camp and if he has when he left. Irvine I want you to go and check on the horses make sure that they are rested and ready to leave as soon as possible." Squall ordered.

"What about me?" Dart asked, Squall looked at him _"he is a good swordsman and I will need all the allies I can get, but it's too soon to put him into the fray . he might not make it through this if I put him in now" _Squall thought as he looked as Shauna. She knew that Dart would want to help and go along and that she would follow him, but her eyes had fear in them. Not for herself but a fear that she would lose Dart and Squall saw it all too clear. When she saw Squall looking at her she looked away so he couldn't look in her eyes, "Dart what I need you and Shauna to do is stay here in the camp" he told Dart.

He knew Dart would argue when his face showed his disappointment, "I'm going to need people on the inside to keep me informed on what the General is doing. This isn't going to easy, you can't let him know that you are helping me and when the time comes I will send word for the two of you to join us. But I will need to be able to predict the General's moves and that were the two you come in, can you do this for me" Squall asked.

Dart's face lost its disappointment when he heard how much Squall needed him to do this, and that he would send for them when the time was right. "You bet I can do it, you don't have to worry about anything. I'll make sure to keep up with everything that is going on here" Dart said with a renewed vigor. Shauna looked at Squall for the first time since Dart had asked what he could do, _"did he know how scared I was of losing Dart" _she wondered. When she looked at him her thank you was spoken without a word passing between them, Squall just nodded to her.

Later that afternoon Irvine returned to the tent to find Squall going over a map with Shauna and Dart. "Shauna you've been to Timber what do you know about Straum Castle" Squall asked.

She pointed to main road "this is called the Harvest Road it's the main road in and out of the city, but over here by the Defiance Forest is a side entrance into the castle courtyard. If someone could gain access in through this entrance they could easily make there way into the west wing of the castle without anyone even knowing" she explained.

"Squall the horses are ready to go whenever we need them, I have already prepared the saddles with everything we should need" Irvine said as he walked up to look at the map with them. "Good, I have a feeling that we will need to leave here in a hurry" Squall told him.

"Shauna do you remember how many men guard this entrance" he asked, "just two on the outside of the wall, the door is sealed from the inside so even if you subdue the men you can't get in" she explained.

Squall surveyed the map for a minute "I think that is the best way in and if I had someone on the inside working for me it would be easy to get that door unlocked. When we get to Timber we will need to check on this entrance Irvine" he said, "good idea if they have someone to open the door from the inside just two guards will sound real inviting to Drake" Irvine agreed.

Zell ran into the tent were everyone was huddled around a map on a small table in the center of the room. "Drake left at day break" he said between gasps of air, "Irvine get back to the horses prepare to leave right away" Squall ordered. Irvine jumped up and ran out of the tent.

"Dart, you and Shauna should leave so that if they suspect something they don't include you in with us, we'll be in touch to get information" Squall told him, "your right just do one thing for me" Dart said. "What's that?" Squall asked. "Leave some of the fun for when I get there with you" he said with a smile. "Don't worry about that" Squall told him. Dart left the tent and Shauna was following "Shauna" Squall said softly. She turned back to look at him "yes" she questioned, "take good care of him, and I promise I will come back for the two of you" he told her. "I know you will and I will" she said and left.

"Zell grab that bag and those two blades" he told him, Zell looked at the blades "man these are the blades your mother gave you, are you sure you don't want to give them to Shauna for safe keeping" Zell asked. "I'm sure, we might need them" he told him, Zell just did as he was instructed and put the blades into the bag.

Squall and Zell took one last look around the tent to make sure they had gotten everything they needed and turned to leave. Right outside the tent stood two men "where do you two think your going" one asked, he had an ax in hand while the other had a war hammer. _"Why do they always have to be so big, it's just embarrassing to show off how good I am by taking down guys larger than me, oh well what're going to do?" _Zell thought with a grin. "You blondie, what are you grinning about" the one with the hammer asked, "oh it's nothing really" Zell said.

"We are just going to check on the position of the force that had been following us" Squall said. "There's no need, we have spies out right now and besides Ultimecia said that you aren't to leave the camp" the one with the ax said. "Oh really, and who again is Ultimecia?" Zell asked, "the woman from Caraway's tent" Squall explained.

"I have a little bit of news for you boys" Squall said. "What's that" they asked. "We're leaving whether you like it or not" Squall told them looking past them toward the stables.

"I don't think so, she said not to let you leave and that if you tried to leave to kill you all" the man with the ax said. A noise started to rise up behind the two men and then Irvine leading two other horses appeared heading straight for the two men. The man with the ax fell to the ground as the horses passed between them but the man with hammer moved out of the way.

He gathered his hammer into both hands as Squall started to rise up onto Traveler. Squall caught a glimpse of him out of the corner of his eye but it was too late, he would have no chance to defend himself.

Then out of nowhere Zell jumped out from behind Squall catching the man in the face with the heel of his boot. The blow knocked him back but didn't stop him he raised his hammer back up to strike but was to slow for the agile Zell. Zell was already up in his face connecting with several punched to the face and then with a powerful right upper cut that put the man to the ground. He didn't get back up to stop them.

Squall and Zell mounted their horses and sped out of camp as fast as their horses could carry them.

Squall held the reins tight as he looked back to catch just a glimpse of the camp _"I have thrown away everything that I have worked for and known for a gut feeling. Have I done the right thing?"_ he thought as the horses sped away.

"Squall, there is no way we'll be able to beat Drake and his men to the rendezvous point" Irvine spoke up looking at his friend. "He's right Squall they have to big of a lead on us, the word was that they left at day break and according to what Shauna heard they will meet the insider tomorrow. So what will we do, we'll have no way of knowing how they are going to get into the castle or where the sorceress will be" Zell added.

Squall just kept his eyes forward for a moment as he thought, "Squall?" Irvine prodded forcing Squall to look at him.

"We'll head to the rendezvous point as fast as we can but your right we won't be able to get there in time. So Zell you will have to try to track Drake's men as best as you can, Irvine you will check out the castle itself to see if there are any weak points within it and to gather information" Squall told the two as they rode.

"What about you Squall?" Zell asked, "I will be waiting for you in the woods outside of the city, Rinoa and some of her men know what I look like and I don't need to be seen when we get there" Squall explained. "We understand" Zell told him tightening his grip on his reins.

The three horses race against time into a dimly lit horizon where the unknown awaits them all.

A small column of soldiers entered the main gates of the city and made their way to the castle deep within the city. "Fujin, I want you to find Marcus once we reach the castle and have him take care of our men" Seifer ordered. "Understood" was Fujin's only reply.

Once the group was in the castle they dismounted, "men follow Fujin she is going to take you to find Marcus and get yourselves set up. Stable your horses and make sure they are well fed before you take care of anything else there is no telling how long we will be staying here" Seifer ordered. "Yes, sir" the group answered in unison as they lead their horses away following Fujin's lead.

"Take me to the Sorceress Rinoa, I'm her captain of the Soldiers of Light, Seifer Almasy" he explained to the guards at the castle's main doors. The two guards looked at each other and then eyed Seifer very curiously "let him in, he's telling the truth" came a voice from behind the guards.

The guards turned to see who it was "Dirkland, you know him?" one asked. "Yes, he is Seifer Almasy the leader of Rinoa's soldiers you can let him enter" Dirkland explained.

The two guards turned allowing Seifer to enter the castle, . Seifer glanced at Dirkland and nodded his gratitude before heading on. Dirkland nodded his head in response as he watched Seifer disappear into the castle.

Rinoa walked the castle with no real destination in mind just wandering around thinking. _"I wonder where Selphie and Quistis are. I haven't seen them all morning. Maybe I'm better off not knowing, it has been nice not being questioned today. Why does Selphie want to hold this ball so badly? I am really not in the mood to deal with nobles and their superficial talk, pretending like they care about anyone other than themselves" _she thought as she walked down the hallway.

Within the castle kitchen a debate raged on "I don't want duck, I want veal" Selphie said with a raised voice. "Pierre, why won't you just cook the veal?" she asked. "Because Pierre likes the duck and that is what Pierre wants to cook for the ball, it will be spectacular" Pierre answered. "Pierre I'm the queen and if I want veal that means that veal will be prepared. Do you understand?" Selphie yelled.

Quistis grewever so tired of this argument _"you would think that he would just do as she says I mean she is the queen, but then again I have seen some of the junk food she eats so maybe Pierre has a point, but does he have to refer to himself in the third person its so annoying" _she thought.

"Veal" Selphie yelled. "Duck" Pierre answered her. "Veal", "duck", "veal", "duck". This went on for a minute before Quistis couldn't take it any longer and stepped in "you know that this is supposed to be a ball for hundreds of people, why don't you just cook both. Just to make sure we have enough food" she suggested.

"Pierre would cook veal and still get to cook his magnificent duck as well?" he asked as he looked as Quistis. "Yes Pierre, you would get to cook your duck" Quistis answered. "But Quisty" Selphie started but was cut off by a glare. "Do we have an understanding Pierre?" Quistis asked. Pierre nodded "Pierre will cook both veal and duck."

"Thank you Pierre, we will leave you to prepare" Quistis said leading Selphie out of the kitchen as the queen gave stern glares at Pierre. Once outside Selphie turned to Quistis "why did you do that? He should have to do what I say" Selphie said. "I know my queen, but he is stubborn and this way both of you are happy and I thought he might do another one of his walk outs and nothing would get cooked" Quistis explained. "I didn't think about him walking out again, I hate it when he does that. Good thinking Quistis" Selphie said with a smile.

Selphie and Quistis started walking away from the kitchen, heading for the throne room "where do you think Rinny is Quisty?" Selphie asked. "I don't know, but I'm sure she's safe in the castle" Quistis told her. "Do you think that she'll like the ball, I mean it is for her and all" Selphie wondered out loud.

"I think she will try to have a good time" Quistis said. "What do you mean try?" Selphie asked. "She has some things on her mind that are weighing heavily on her, I'm not sure that a ball is the first thing in her thoughts" Quistis explained. "I see, then we'll have to help Rinny as much as possible, maybe the ball will be a good way to take her mind off her problems for at least a little while" Selphie told her.

_"I hope your right Selphie; just don't try to force any guys on her. that is not what she needs right now" _Quistis thought as the two walked on.

"My Queen" lofted a voice from a hallway near by, stopping and looking back down the hall the two saw Dirkland walking toward them. "What is it Dirkland, is something wrong" Selphie asked, "No My Queen, I just wanted you to know that Seifer Almasy and his men have arrived." Dirkland explained. "I see thank you Dirkland, and where is Seifer now?" Selphie asked. "He is in the castle looking for the sorceress" he told her saluting and turning back down the hallway.


	7. The Calm Before The Storm

I'm sorry for the delay in getting this chapter up my editor and myself have been rather busy lately. Well any ways here is the next chapter. This is a regular disclaimer, I don't own any of the character from Final Fantasy, and the characters are the property of Square Enix. The only characters that are mine are the ones I create to go into this story. So please don't sue me that would be unlucky.

Ch.7 The Calm Before the Storm

Seifer walked the halls of the castle in search of Rinoa, _"where is she? Why does it always have to be such a pain in the ass to find her? How do I tell her that I couldn't find the assassin, how do I tell her he got away?" _Seifer thought as he turned a corner.

The thought of the assassin getting away and having to tell Rinoa that he had failed to catch him was starting to irritate him to no ends. The more he thought about the madder he became.

Seifer turned the next the corner _"he's not that great. He failed in his mission, was almost caught by her guards and yet I still couldn't catch him" _kept running through Seifer's mind.

"That fucking piece of shit" Seifer yelled as he slammed his fist against the wall outraged by the assassin's escape.

Thomas had been heading for the kitchen to grab a snack, as he opened the door into west wing's main hallway he heard someone yell "that fucking piece of shit". _"That voice sounds familiar, oh no it can't be" Thomas_ begged as he looked into the hall to see Seifer with his fist against the wall and eyes fixed on the ground.

_"Good he hasn't seen me yet, if I'm lucky he didn't hear the door open and I can slip back out before…" _Thomas started to think but never got the chance to finish his thought. "Thomas, what are you doing" came Seifer's questioning voice.

Thomas just closed his eyes _"so much for lucky"_ he thought as he turned to face Seifer "nothing just going to the kitchen" he answered. "Is Rinoa with you?" Seifer asked walking toward Thomas, "no, she's not with me" Thomas answered.

"What? Then where is she and why aren't you with her?" Seifer roared, "I don't know where she is, and I haven't been with her since we arrived at Straum, sir" Thomas explained.

"You have only one job and that's to protect her and you not even doing that" Seifer scolded. "Sir, she is within the wall's of Straum Castle no one's going to get to her here and besides that there are hundreds of soldiers her to watch out for her" Thomas tried to rationalize. "That doesn't matter it's your job to be with her at all times, no matter where she is do you understand me" Seifer went on. "Yes Sir" Thomas answered. "Are Yuri and others with her?" Seifer asked. "No sir" was the answer he received.

Thomas thought Seifer was going to kill him when he heard the answered. "Find Yuri and the other guards and bring them to Rinoa's room. As soon as I find her I will bring her there. Do you understand?" Seifer said holding back his anger. "Yes sir, I'll go find them right away" Thomas said saluting and heading back through the door.

Seifer watched as the door closed in front of him _"those fucking morons have no idea that she is always in danger as long as these killers are free" _he thought as he turned his sights down the hall.

Thomas closed the door quickly so Seifer couldn't yell at him any more; once the door was closed he leaned back against the wood. _"What's eating at him" _Thomas thought as he released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding in. "I better find the others before Seifer finds Rinoa, I don't think he'll take kindly to having to wait for us" Thomas said under his breath as he pushed away from the door and walked away.

In another part of the castle Rinoa walked leisurely with Margaret, a loyal servant of the Tilmitt family.

"Margaret you know Selphie pretty well don't you, you've been with her for quite some time right?" Rinoa pondered of her companion. "I would hope so; I have been with the Queen since she was born. I was her governess and have served her ever since. Why?" Margaret asked.

"Well it's about this ball Selphie's planning" Rinoa started, Margaret recognized the uneasy look on Rinoa face and cut her off. "Your uncomfortable about the whole affair aren't you" Margaret stated almost pulling the thoughts straight out of Rinoa mind.

"I'm just not used to such formal events, but I don't want to disappoint Selphie" Rinoa told her. "Don't worry my dear. Her majesty would never want to put you into an uncomfortable situation. Beside her majesty doesn't really like the formalities of the balls herself." Margaret told her.

"But she seems so excited about the event" Rinoa said a little doubtful of what Margaret said. "She's excited about the preparation, about the fact that you will be there, and the dancing but the formality of the event that she must follow has always irritated her" Margaret explained.

"That sounds like Selphie. She has always loved to put together events and plan them to just to see how beautiful it will be" Rinoa said. Margaret nodded with a smile "that's our queen".

Thomas made his way out of the castle in search of the other personal guards; he scanned the large garden directly behind the structure of the castle. When his eyes finally made it toward the inner wall he saw a group of men walking in his direction from the city.

"_Who is that, I can't make them out" _Thomas thought as he walked toward the group. He met them about half way "Yuri, Francis, and Brent… great I was just on my way to look for you guys. Seifer's back" Thomas explained.

"We heard, Fujin told us that's why we're heading to the castle. She said that he probably isn't in a good mood." Yuri told him. "That's an understatement he's definitely got something eating at him. He yelled at me for a minute and told me to go and find you guys" Thomas told them.

Fujin stepped forward from the back of the group and eyed Thomas for a moment "where?" was all she said. Thomas stood there with his eyes locked with hers confused to what she was asking. _"Where what? What is she asking me?" _he thought as he looked at her.

Then out of no where it hit him, "Oh…he said to meet him in Rinoa's room he said he would find Rinoa and bring her there himself" Thomas told her.

"Let's get a move on then unless you want to just sit here and talk about it. I would rather get there early then make Seifer wait for us and give him another reason to vent at us" Yuri said moving past Thomas. "That's exactly what I was thinking, man it's a good thing Fujin told you guys to head this way" Thomas said following after Yuri.

_"Where the hell is she, I want to get this over with as soon as possible. The sooner I tell her the sooner I can get it off my mind." _Seifer thought as he turned the corner. Out of the corner of his eye he saw people ahead of him, _"looks like a couple of women, could that be her" _he thought.

Rinoa laughed and when Seifer heard that laughter he knew for certain it was her. He turned down the hall way walking with swift determined strides.

"Rinoa dear, I think someone's here for you" Margaret said pointing past Rinoa. Rinoa was not sure who she expected, but who she saw coming her way caught her off guard.

"What are you doing here? I've been looking everywhere for you" Seifer scolder in angry tone. _"What's his problem" _Rinoa thought, "I'm talking to Margaret here, what are you doing here?" Rinoa shot back.

"My job sorceress" Seifer responded short tempered. _"Where does he get off with that attitude? Wait… why is he back already? Did they find him?"_ Rinoa wondered to herself. "What do you want Seifer?" Rinoa asked with an edge to her words.

"We found the tracks of the assassin leading away from our camp" Seifer started. _"Oh God did they find him? If they did is he still alive?" _Rinoa thought as she listened. "The tracks lead into the Forest of the Moon, Fujin followed them to the camp site" Seifer said pausing. Seifer turned away from Rinoa crossing his arm over his crest.

Rinoa brought her hand up to her chest_ "They found his camp site. Was he still there? Did they catch him or kill him? Wait a minute why is it taking Seifer so long to tell me, he's so full of himself he should be boasting about it. They didn't find him there and they couldn't track him out of the forest that's why he's back so soon." _her mind reasoned.

"Well was the assassin there?" Rinoa questioned. "No, he had already left but we did find the place the horses were kept" Seifer started but was cut off. "There was more than just the one?" Rinoa asked. "Yes, there were tracks for three horses" he explained. "You found tracks out of the camp?" Rinoa asked. "Yes, once we found where the horses had been kept we found tracks. I had Fujin follow them, but…." Seifer stopped again.

"But what Seifer?" she asked him, "where are your guards and why aren't you with them?" he asked in a harsh tone changing the subject. "I don't know where they are and what does that have to do with anything? We're in Timber no one's going to try anything here" Rinoa countered.

"Don't change the subject Seifer, what did Fujin find?" Rinoa asked standing her ground against him. "The tracks just ended once they reached the edge of the forest" he told her. "So you didn't find him?" she said looking for his admittance. _"How dare she ask me that, what right does she have to question me" _an angered voice ran through Seifer's head. Turning his head to look at Rinoa anger boiled in his blood and started to flare into his eyes as he turned to her and roughly grabbed her arm.

"**No, I didn't find him are you happy now I admitted it that I couldn't find him**" Seifer almost yelled as he pulled her away from Margaret. "What do you think your doing Seifer?" Rinoa asked outraged by the way he was acting. "My job" was all he said through gritted teeth as he pulled Rinoa back down the hallway he had just come down.

"Margaret have you seen Rinoa?" Selphie asked. "Yes ma'am, she was just here, but Seifer showed up a little while ago and dragged her off" Margaret told her. "Do you know where they were heading?" Quistis asked. Margaret nodded "he was taking her back to her room and against her will from what I saw" she told her.

"Did you hear why?" Selphie asked confused as to why Seifer would drag her off. "It had something to do with her personal guards and an assassin" Margaret told them. "I see, thank you very much" Selphie said putting a hand on the woman's shoulder, Margaret nodded to Selphie then she and Quistis headed back down the hall.

"Quistis, do you have any idea what that could be about? Unless it has something to do with the man that attacked her on the way here" Selphie pondered out loud. "I'm not really sure, but more than likely that does have a part in what happened" Quistis wagered.

"How long do you think it will take Seifer to find Rinoa?" Thomas asked looking to the others in the room. "Depends" Fujin answered. "Depends? Depends on what?" Thomas countered.

"On how pissed off Seifer is and if Rinoa puts up any kind of fight about being dragged off. Because I'm sure Seifer will be his usual tactful self when he finds her." Yuri told him.

Before Thomas say another word the door to the room flew open, pulling the attention of everyone in the room toward it. "Seifer you're hurting my arm let go of me" Rinoa's voice called out from the hallway. "We're here" followed Seifer's voice as he forced Rinoa into the room.

Fujin just shook her head in disbelief _"that's just great Seifer treat her like a prisoner that's really going to help the matter"_ she thought.

Yuri looked over to Thomas with a knowing smirk "tactful" was all he said, Thomas just nodded in agreement.

Seifer looked at everyone in the room, Yuri, Thomas, and Francis where sitting on the couch while Fujin and Brent sat in two chairs that where in the sitting area of the living area of the room.

"Good you're all here, I don't know what kind of personal guards you think you are leaving Rinoa alone" Seifer said with a sharp tone. "We're in Straum castle no one's going to be able to get to her here, I don't know why your so upset" Brent retorted.

"So just because we're in the castle we're all safe right? What…just like she was safe when you were standing guard outside her tent on our way here. So you don't need to watch over her right?" Seifer countered. Brent was going to respond when Seifer cut him off "the assassin that attacked the camp has evaded us, he could return to finish his job here" Seifer finished.

Seifer kept his eyes on them as they all took in the fact that the assassin got away and could easily return to try again. "That's why you are to stay with her" Seifer added.

"How you decide to carry this out I will leave up to you, but she better be under watch at all times, understood?" Seifer ordered.

"_Even here within a fortress I can't have a semblance of a normal life, I have to have guards follow me around every where I go. When will they just leave me alone?"_ Rinoa thought as she listened to Seifer barker his orders at Yuri and the others. Rinoa walked away from the others into the next room which had her bed and vanity within.

Fujin just watched as Rinoa walked away as others decided how here life was going to run while she was in Timber. _"She has no freedom, no matter where she is or who she is with she will always be kept in a confined space" _Fujin thought as her eye moved from Rinoa to Seifer.

"There is more of a chance of something happening during the day than at night. So we will split time during the day in groups of two and at night we will divide into four shifts and each of us will take one." Yuri told the others.

Even though no one was given the mantel of leader of the personal guard officially, the role was handed to Yuri. The other listened to him and respected his decisions.

"All right during the day it will be Thomas and me and Francis and Brent, we'll rotate every four hours to give the other group a rest." Yuri continued. "What about the night shift?" Brent asked wondering who would assigned to what shift.

"I would rather have Francis or myself taking the later shifts since we are more accustomed to early morning shifts. So the night shift will start with Thomas taking the first shift. Then Brent will relieve Thomas and Francis will relieve Brent and lastly I will relieve Francis for the last shift." Yuri explained glancing around at everyone.

"Does anyone have any questions or concerns about this plan of action?" Yuri asked. "When do we start and who will be taking the first day shift?" Brent asked.

"The first shift will start now. Thomas and myself will take the first four hours" Yuri told them looking to Thomas. Thomas nodded his consent to taking the first shift today. "Does that meet with your approval Seifer?" Yuri asked looking toward Seifer.

Seifer nodded "that will do just fine. Just make sure she is always within your sight do you understand" he told them. They all nodded and watched as Seifer turned leaving the room. Fujin got up from the chair where she had been watching the drama play out. As she reached the door Selphie and Quistis walked into the room causing Fujin to pause for a moment.

Bowing to the Queen of Timber, Fujin moved to allow them past. Walking further into the room Selphie looked around, _"where's Rinoa, Margaret said that Seifer said something about bringing her here" _Selphie thought as she saw no sign of Rinoa in the room.

"Where is Rinoa?" Selphie asked the guards still seated within the room, "she's in the bedroom Your Majesty" Thomas said pointing toward the inner door. "Thank you, you are all dismissed until I have you called upon" Selphie announced.

This statement caused Fujin to freeze in the doorway with her hand still on the door handle. She had been trying to leave without making any noise but hearing what the Queen said made her stop and look back into the room.

"I'm sorry but that is not possible Your Majesty" Yuri said standing up, "We aren't to let the sorceress out of our sights for a minute, that means even if she is with you" Yuri continued feeling very important and in charge with each word spoken.

"_Not a good move Yuri, she's a Queen you can't talk to her like that and I know Quistis doesn't like men that try to flex some kind of authority over people that they have no right to. This should be entertaining to watch to bad Seifer already left he would enjoy this" _Fujin thought as she turned back around to watch the event about to play out.

"What did you say to me **Soldier, **are you questioning me?" Selphie asked with anger starting to enter her voice. _"How dare he question me, besides to him she is just a sorceress and that's all? He acts like she isn't even a real person. He can't even call her by her name, just sorceress. Well I'll show him" _Selphie thought as a smiled crossed her lips.

"I'm sorry Your Majesty there must be a guard with her at all times, the sorceress' safety is what's important here" Yuri told her. _"He did it again he called her sorceress" _Selphie's mind yelled. "Your right Rinoa's safety is what matters and that's why Quistis is here. She can handle anything that comes up, so once again I'm telling you that you men are dismissed till I call for you understood?" Selphie said almost knowing that he would challenge this again.

"I'm sorry but I can't allow that. Your woman guard what's her name, Quistis? She will not be able to fully protect the sorceress so I can't allow the sorceress to go anywhere without one of us" Yuri said crossing his arms over his chest.

"_Selphie has baited him right into the trap with ease she is getting quite good at that, now I will put this prick into his place by showing him who isn't able to fully protect Rinoa" _Quistis thought as a twinkle of knowing excitement sparkled in her eyes and her hands gripped her whips.

"Very well if that's how you feel then attack her and prove to me that she is not able to do the job to suit your satisfaction. If you show me that she can't protect us I will take one of you with us but if you can't then you all will leave and not return until I send for you. **Is that understood?**" Selphie said narrowing her eyes at Yuri as she finished.

"Very well, but if she gets hurt in the process I don't want to be held accountable" Yuri said stepping away from the couch. "You won't be" Quistis said speaking up for the first time. "I have nothing against you personally, this is just business" Yuri said looking toward Quistis.

"_Yuri the only one that's going to get hurt here is you, if not physically then your ego will take a massive hit after Quistis knocks you down a peg. Maybe I should warn him about what he has just gotten himself into……Nah." _Fujin thought as she leaned against the door with her arms crossed just waiting for the outcome.

Yuri prepared himself with his hand on the hilt of his sword never taking his eyes away from Quistis. Quistis just stood there waiting for him to make his move with her hands still gripping the whips wrapped around her waist.

"Don't you think you should pull your weapon or are you giving up already?" Yuri asked as he pulled his blade out. "Don't worry about me; you would do better worrying about yourself. I'm ready whenever you are" Quistis told him.

"_Quistis is pulling at his ego, that's going to affect him, good job Quisty" _Selphie thought as she watched as the two eyed each other. _"Don't let her get to you Yuri; you have to keep your cool. I have already learned what happens if you don't. What am I worried about she doesn't stand a chance against Yuri he's the best we have" _Thomas thought as he watched from the couch.

All of sudden Yuri made his move toward Quistis, but it just wasn't fast enough. In a blink of an eye Quistis pulled the first whip, a tightly woven leather whip with two flexible pieces of metal woven in with the leather. On each side of the whip there was metal exposed which had been pulled up making a ridge that had been made razor sharp. At the end of the whip a sharpened diamond shard was attached making it very lethal.

The whip wrapped around the blade of Yuri's sword and with a flick of her wrist she pulled the blade out of his hand. At that very moment her second whip snapped and everyone's eyes looked up to see her pure leather whip wrapped around Yuri's neck with Quistis pulling the whip tight at the over end.

Yuri looked up at Quistis, his eyes full of bewilderment as the whip restricted his head movement. Quistis gave him a satisfied smiled and Selphie walked up to the whip that was wrapped tightly around his neck. "Any questions?" Selphie asked with a smile as she put her hand on the whip.

Yuri shook his head no as Quistis released him from her grip, "then I suggest that you all leave, **now**" Selphie ordered. Fujin smiled to herself fully knowing what the outcome would be and opened the door as the four men started walking her way.

Yuri glared at Quistis "this isn't over. I just want you to know that. Next time I won't hold back" he told her. "By all means… And next time I won't give you a chance to pull your sword at all" Quistis countered waving.

Outside the room the other three men waited for Yuri to exit. Fujin bowed to the Queen and closed the door behind her.

"Yuri what happened?" Francis asked looking at him, anger had taken over Yuri's mind _"she set me up, she set me up to lose I'll show them both who is the best next time" _Yuri thought clinching his fist.

"Yuri are you okay?" Thomas asked after he didn't answer Francis' question. "What I'm fine, I just held back because she's a woman I didn't want to hurt her and it back fired on me. The next time I won't make the same mistake and then we'll see who is better" Yuri said walking past the others.

Fujin just shook her head in disbelief as she watched the group walk away following Yuri _"I think that she has already proven that, she not only out moved you in combat but she out thought you by getting into your head before and after the fight." _Fujin thought to herself as she too headed down the hallway.

Selphie opened the door to Rinoa's bedroom to see her sitting on the bed with her knees pulled up to chest. "Rinny is it okay if we come in?" Selphie asked with concern in her voice. Rinoa looked up for the first time since she had entered the room and saw her friend in the doorway.

"Oh Selphie hello, I didn't hear you come in, please come on in" Rinoa said sliding her legs away from her chest.

Selphie entered the room followed by Quistis who was wrapping her whips back around her waist. "Quistis why are you rewrapping your whips, did something happen?" Rinoa asked looking a little confused.

"_She didn't hear the ruckus outside the door, she must have had a lot on her mind to be able to miss that racket" _Selphie thought as she looked on her friend with concern. "Oh I was just showing Yuri something, nothing much" Quistis said wrapping the whip one last time.

"With that whip? You didn't hurt him did you?" Rinoa said pointing to the metal shard whip. "Yes, I used this whip, but it didn't even touch him I promise you Rinoa" Quistis said with a smile. "That's good, what do you call that whip anyway, because it's not like your others?" Rinoa asked. "It's my Guardian Angel" Quistis told her putting her hand on the whip.

"_Even now she is more worried about her guards' safety than they are about her as a person". She calls them by name and they can't even do the same for her. It's always sorceress almost like she doesn't have name at all to them" _Selphie thought as she listened to Rinoa and Quistis talk.

"Rinny, are you okay you look like something is on your mind?" Selphie asked as she sat down on the side of the bed next to Rinoa. _"Do I tell her that I feel like a bird kept in a gilded cage, that I will never know what it's like to be free or to know the feeling of true safety? Do I tell her that I can't go anywhere without looking over my shoulder to make sure that no ones there to kill me? Do I worry her like that or do I just lie to her?" _Rinoa's mind wondered as she sat there.

"No, I'm fine I was just thinking about being dragged around the castle by Seifer, I think I'm going to have a bruise on my arm in the shape of his hand" Rinoa said in as light hearted a tone as she could muster while rubbing her arm to add emphasis.

"Well let's change the subject I don't want to dwell on bad things. Let's talk about the ball" Selphie said trying to cheer up her friend. "Maybe your right I need to stop thinking about such things, so tell me about the ball it just might do the trick" Rinoa said with a half hearted smile.

Selphie smiled at her friend well aware that she was forcing the smile on her face but tried to not let it affect her as she carried on. "I have decorated the grand hall and ball room in gold and navy blue; I have Pierre fixing the dishes that I hope you will like" Selphie told her. "That sounds wonderful I'm sure it will be beautiful and Pierre is a great cook it will all taste amazing I'm sure" Rinoa told her.

"I'm sure Pierre would have loved to hear that, especially after the argument he had with Selphie" Quistis joked. "Oh really, about what?" Rinoa asked. "What was going to be served at the ball? After a little discussion they came to an understanding…" Quistis started but was cut off. "Which means that you stepped in to clear things up didn't you Quisty" Rinoa said cutting in.

"We would have figured it out ourselves eventually" Selphie counted, "probably after a couple of hours of arguing" Rinoa joked with a laugh.

Quistis smiled _"good, she's loosening up and letting go of the things that are bothering her for at least a little while" _she thought.

"_Now that I've gotten her to loosen up maybe I can move on to the topic that I really want to talk about" _Selphie thought. "You know that it wouldn't have taken us a couple hours maybe one at most" she laughed. "Now let's talk about something more important than my argument with Pierre" Selphie said with a smile.

"And what's that?" Rinoa asked not catching onto Selphie's plan, _"Selphie you are a sly one, but don't push you luck and hit a nerve that has just been soothed" _Quistis' mind silently instructed.

"Yes there is something very important that we need to discuss. When you're at the ball what kind of guy will you be looking for?" Selphie asked. "What kind of man are you looking for?" Selphie asked before Rinoa's mind could alert her to what was happening.

"I'm not real sure Selphie, I haven't really given it much thought" Rinoa told her. "Come on I know that you given it some thought" Selphie said prying at her friend.

Before Rinoa's mind could stop it an image of the stranger from her dreams enters her mind. "Well he will be strong, strong enough to live with the fact of whom and what I am. He will have dark brown hair that adds a mysterious look to his already rugged features and hides always his breath taking blue eyes. Eyes that can just pull you in and hold you deep within an endless ocean that has strong but gentle current that warms your very soul" Rinoa told her.

As soon as Rinoa finished what she was saying her mind stepped in with an image of the intruder _"what was that? Why did I just describe a man that was sent to kill me, why couldn't I just tell her about the man from my dreams, why him? What is happening? How could he be the type of man I'm looking for?" _she wondered.

"I knew you had thought about it, and I can see what you would like about a man like that. I was just listening to you and I was falling for him myself. We'll have to keep an eye open for your dream man while we're at the ball, right Quisty?" Selphie said dragging Quistis into her plans knowing that with both of them involved Rinoa was less likely to protest.

"You can try, but I have a feeling that you won't find him and neither will I … until it's too late" Rinoa said adding the last part under her breath barely audible. Quistis didn't hear the last part of what Rinoa had said but the way her spirit fell for that split second told Quistis all she needed to know.

"_Something about the man she just described to us brings both a feeling a comfort and of sadness to her, why?"_ Quistis asked her self knowing this was not the time or place to ask such a thing.

"Rinoa, since we have all the time we want without your guards lets go into town and visit some of the places from our childhood" Selphie said with a smile. "That sounds nice, I would like that" Rinoa said perking back up.

"Where should we go first" Selphie asked, "how about the church, I have a lot of good memories of the old church" Rinoa said. Rinoa and Selphie slid of the bed and headed out the door with Quistis following behind them.

A short black cloaked figure appeared at the edge of General Caraway's camp; its red eyes surveying the camp to make sure it wouldn't be noticed. Once sure that the area was clear the short figure sprinted to the general's tent and disappeared.

"_Drake is on his way to finish off Rinoa and my knight is still on the board waiting to be moved in for the kill. This world will soon bow down to me and he will unwittingly be the piece that makes it all happen" _Ultimecia thought to herself.

Ultimecia turned her head to the entrance of the tent; her senses told her someone had entered the tent. She was no longer alone within the tent, raising her hand up her eyes glared at the opening as sparks leapt from her hand. "Show yourself **now, **or this will be the last thing that you ever do" she said with anger starting to creep into her voice.

"Mistress Ultimecia it's me Moetin" the dark figure said as it walked closer to her so she could see the short intruder. "Ah, Moetin I see you have returned to report your findings to me" she said.

"Yes mistress" Moetin said bowing his short body to her. "Did you find the Book of the Ancients?" she asked him. "What was left of it my lady" Moetin told her pulling out a portion of an old dilapidated book.

"Does it tell where the stone is?" she asked. "Yes, it's within the catacombs of the lost nation" he told her. "There is one problem though…" he started. "What kind of problem?" she asked. "The stone can only be retrieved by a devoted knight, according to the book no sorceress or soldier may lay a hand on the stone and retain their life" he told her.

"How will I be able to get the stone then, there is no one here that is devoted enough to touch it. If Caraway goes he'll die and I will lose the figure that holds this army together. If I can't use him, then who?" she questioned no one in particular.

At that moment the two men that she had sent to watch Squall and his friends barged into the tent. "My lady I your pardon but I have something to report" the man with the war hammer said.

"**I told you not to disturb me**" Ultimecia screamed flinging her arm towards him. A spear of stone rose out of the ground and drove through the mid-section of the man, his eyes grew large and then nothing.

"Moetin bring in the other man, he is standing outside waiting" she said. "Yes my lady" the dark man said leaving the tent.

When he returned he was followed by a large man with a battle ax strapped to his back. "What has happened?" Ultimecia asked him still contemplating her new problem. He looked at his partner held off the ground by the stone spear coming out of the ground.

"My lady, Squall and his friends have escaped the tent" he said in a low tone looking toward the ground. "**What? You let them leave?**" she yelled at first but stopped suddenly. _"Wait this might work to my advantage, if he has left for her then maybe…"_ she said to herself.

"Thank you, you're dismissed for now" she said to the large man waving him out with her hand. He didn't stand around to ask what she was talking about to end up like his partner, he turned and left immediately.

"Mistress, do you have an idea" Moetin asked looking up to Ultimecia. "Yes, Moetin, I might have found a way to get the stone. Now what I need you to do is go to the mountains of Tibetian to find out the way into the catacombs and the path to take within them. Find out everything you can about the catacombs and the stone" she told him.

"Do you understand?" she asked Moetin. "Yes my lady, I won't let you down" he said bowing to her and disappearing out of the tent as Ultimecia started to laugh to herself.

"He will still aid me in my conquest even if it's against his will" she said to herself as she began to laugh.

Three horses sped across the open range toward a foreign and unknown future, their riders had been following a predetermined path but now they challenge that path.

"Squall, why do you think that Caraway gave this mission to Drake instead of giving us another chance? I mean it's not like we've ever failed before. Why not give us another crack at it?" Zell asked.

"Zell has a good point, why was he so ready to hand over the mission to Drake it doesn't make any sense to me" Irvine said. "Ya, it's almost as if he doesn't trust us to do the job" Zell said.

"Should he? We didn't complete the mission the first time and gave him no reason to believe that we would complete it if given the chance again" Squall answered. "True, but we also didn't give him any reason to believe we wouldn't. He didn't know that you really did have a chance and chose not to kill her for all he knows her guards came in to soon." Irvine countered.

"Irvine's right the General didn't know anything about how you feel about this mission or the fact that you wanted to find out the truth about her. So why pull us out?" Zell asked.

"Because Drake will, beyond a shadow of a doubt kill her and anyone that gets in his way. Remember the Traberian village that was massacred two years ago?" Squall asked. "What does that have to do with anything?" Zell asked. "It was Drake and his men that slaughtered those people" Squall told him.

"Drake led his men into the village to gather supplies; at first they didn't harm anyone but then…" Squall paused as he thought on what he had been told. "One of his men saw one of the local women and followed her to her home; soon screams were heard coming from the house. When her husband ran into the house he found Drake's man on top of his wife raping her with a knife to her throat; outraged by what he saw her husband came up behind him and slit his throat." Squall told them.

"It wasn't long until Drake was ready to leave and discovered that one of his men was missing. He ordered his men to search the village to find him. It didn't take them long to find the man dead behind the house that he was killed in. When Drake found out what had happened to his man he killed both the husband and wife. Then he let his men loose in the village. They killed the men and children first, and then they raped and murdered the woman. Before leaving the village Drake displayed the bodies of the villagers along the road leading into the village." Squall explained.

"My God that was Drake that order that slaughter done over one man, how did you find out about it Squall?" Irvine asked. "Just like the General has someone on the inside of Rinoa's group I have someone on the inside of the General's inner circle" Squall told them.

"So you had an idea that he would send Drake if we failed?" Zell asked. "Yes, but it had not been confirmed until Dart and Shana told me this morning" Squall told them.

"Not to change the subject, but Squall why do you care so much about Drake finishing our mission? If it wasn't us then you knew it would be someone else. Why do you care so much about this?" Irvine asked knowing full well what he had asked of his friend.

"_Something happened to him in her tent, now he needs to realize that or no matter what he does it will always fall short of his own expectations. Squall you have to accept this and stop fighting it." _Irvine thought to himself.

"I'm not sure, but I know that I can't let her die. At least not yet" Squall told him. _"I will find the reason though so help me God. I'll find out the truth about her, me, and what it is about her that makes me doubt the world." _Squall silently swore to himself.


	8. In The Care of The Enemy

This is a regular disclaimer, I don't own any of the characters from Final Fantasy, and the characters are the property of Square Enix. The only characters that are mine are the ones I create to go into this story. So please don't sue me that would be unlucky.

Ch. 8 In The Care of The Enemy

The white stone of the church's steeple gleamed in the evening sun light like a beacon to travelers leading them home. The church was built out of beautiful alabaster granite with marble columns guarding the entrance. Walking up the stairs to the cathedral one was greeted by a large circular stain glass window and on either side of the stairs was a square bell tower that reached as high as the roof itself. Once within the cathedral the entrance opened up into a grand hall way with stained glass murals, telling of the life of Christ, placed into the walls of the hall way.

The grand hallway was lit by three large chandeliers at night and by the sun beaming in through the massive stained glass window during the day. At the end of the grand hallway the cathedral opened up horizontally creating an east and west wings several floors high. The west wing was where the church kept its massive library that was used by the members of the clergy and the literate public. Classes for the public were also held within the west wing, under the guidance of Queen Catherine the public was given the opportunity to learn to read and write by the clergy. The queen's ideas now live on through her daughter. She wanted everyone to have the opportunity to learn and advance. The east wing was where the rooms for the members of the clergy and the care takers of the cathedral are located. Each wing ended with a smaller chapel and steeple that didn't reach the same height as the main chapel or the two bell towers.

Continuing forward into the main chapel, the cathedral was constructed with high arching ceilings. The ceilings had been painted with the mural of the holy trinity and the seven archangels that stand before the throne of the God. A balcony wrapped its way around the chapel until they reach the alter area. Rows of padded pews lined both side of a center isle, tapestries on the walls as you enter and stain glass windows along the walls. The Alter was set off to the right with a large cross window with a wooden cross in the center on the wall behind the alter. The church had been named St. Raphael's after the archangel that aids and guards travelers, the archangel was chosen because of the fact that Timber sits on a major trade route and many travelers pass through the cities walls every day.

Rinoa walked through the large oak entrance doors that she remembered so well. _"_I_ remember these doors being harder to open the last time I was here. I guess that is only normal since I haven't been here since I buried my mother in the cemetery next to the church." _Rinoa thought as she walked down the grand hallway.

As Rinoa stopped in the hallway that lead her toward the two wings of the cathedral an image of her past appeared. She watched as three young carefree girls ran down the hallway toward the library for their studies. It was a fond memory of a time that seemed so far away, but she could almost hear Selphie yelling that she was going to beat her and Quistis. Rinoa smiled at the thought and turned her attention down the other direction of the hall. She could she see her and Selphie running from clergyman "bring those robes back right now you two, they aren't for playing dress up" she could hear him yell as the two young images ran away in white robes.

Laughing Rinoa crossed the hall into the main chapel; she had forgotten how beautiful the interior of the chapel was with its painted ceiling, tapestries, and stained glass windows. Walking to the front pew taking in everything in chapel, she sat down. Looking left she saw the three young girls with bright red faces trying their best not to laugh. The image quickly changed as the girls were now dress in black and tears filled their eyes especially the raven haired child. "Why mother? Why did you have to leave me? What am I supposed to do now?" she could here the younger image of herself say.

Rinoa looked toward the alter and remembered the last time she had set eyes on it. Her mother's body had been placed within a stone casket by order of Queen Catherine and she had been laid to rest in the royal cemetery.

Tears started to well up in Rinoa's eyes as she remembered the occasion, when a voice broke her from the grim remembrance. "Rinny, isn't it beautiful in here? Is it just the way you remember it?" Selphie asked as she and Quistis walked down the center isle. "It is, nothing has changed, it's just the way I remember it" Rinoa said pushing her tears back.

"Well, there is one new item to the church that I would like to show you Rinny" Selphie said when she reached the end of the pews. "What is it?" Rinoa asked looking at her friend curiously. "It's a surprise, just follow me and you'll see" Selphie told her.

Rinoa looked to Quistis but got no answer from her. "Very well Selphie it looks as if you've peeked my curiosity" Rinoa said standing up. Selphie smiled "don't worry you'll like it".

The three women walked out of the main chapel and headed toward the west wing of the cathedral. In the library on marble pedestals sat the busts of several members of the royal family, mainly the ones that had commissioned the building of the cathedral and those that had aided in moving forward the church. King Alexander's bust was displayed and above it was a plaque that read "King Alexander the defender of the Timberian way of life and leader of reform" next to his bust was Queen Catherine's. Hers read "Queen Catherine the leader of education for all, with her guidance all can receive knowledge".

Rinoa turned to Selphie "those are new. I've never seen any of these busts before. Who had them done?" she asked. "The church did, shortly after the death of my mother but they weren't put in here until they were all done, so I guess they've been here about a year" Selphie explained. "But that's not the surprise Rin, look past my mother" Selphie said pointing.

Rinoa turned back to the bust of the Queen and saw one more in the line. As she walked up to the bust she felt her breath catch in her throat. It was a bust of her mother, looking above it she carefully read the inscription. "Julia Heartilly the mother and guiding light to a blessed soul that has come to shine on this nation", Rinoa finished reading the inscription and turned to her friends this time unable to hold back the tears that welled up in her eyes. "Thank you so much, you have no idea what this means to me" she said between choked breathes.

"Rin, we weren't the ones that asked for this bust to be made" Quistis told her as she put an arm around her friend's shoulders. Rinoa looked up at her but before she could even ask the question Quistis answered her "the people of the city asked the church to include her bust and the church didn't have any problems with it."

"Who wrote that about my mother?" she asked. "Margaret" Selphie told her. "I just have one more question then" Rinoa said more composed now. "So Selphie, what are you going to do to get your bust in here?" Rinoa asked with a playful tone to her voice. "What does that mean, are you trying to say that I can't do anything worth getting in here, is that what you're trying to say?" Selphie asked slightly defensive. "I didn't say that. But gosh, you seem awfully worried about it" Rinoa said with a smile.

"Hah Hah, very funny" Selphie countered, Quistis couldn't help the smile that crossed her face at the comment. "Ye too Quistis, your on Rinoa side on this" Selphie said disbelievingly "I didn't say a thing" Quistis defended as she turned to leave.

"Come on you guys, that's not fair I've only been the Queen for a couple years give me a chance" Selphie pleaded as the other two women started to laugh. "We will" came their reply in unison.

_"Good Rinoa seems to be in higher spirits, I was beginning to worry about her. Even when she feigned being fine, I know that something was eating away at her. I could see it in the way she acted. She just wasn't herself. Now she seems back to her old self for at least a little while, maybe that will be enough for now." _Quistis thought as she walked beside her friend out of the cathedral.

_"That damned arrogant Seifer, coming in here and ordering us to watch the sorceress at all times. Thanks to his orders and Yuri's division of the duties, I have to revise my plans"_ thought a Soldiers of Light as he walked the grounds of the castle.

_"Let's see the night guards rotate on a third shift cycle while we have been put on a four shift cycle, which means that my shift will start before the changing of the guard and my opportunity to sneak in Caraway's men. So I will have to be late to my shift tomorrow night, now how will I pull that off without raising suspicions." _he thought as he rounded the corner.

_"Well Thomas has the shift before me and he is young so he would probably take my word for it no matter what I tell him._ _But the question is what can I tell him that he wont mention to Yuri to change shifts with me so that I can do it." _he questioned as he made his way to the front of the castle.

He was so preoccupied that he didn't hear his name being called off to his left. "Brent….hey Brent" the voice yelled as it got closer pulling Brent out of his thoughts. "Oh Thomas I'm sorry, is there something I can help you with?" Brent asked. "Is everything okay Brent you seemed pretty consumed in your thoughts?" Thomas asked.

"I'm fine I was thinking on some personal matters, what can I do for you Thomas?" Brent asked after assuring Thomas that everything was fine. "Nothing I just want you to meet Vanessa" Thomas said as he guided Vanessa forward with a hand on her back.

Brent looked at the young woman and smiled "it's an honor to meet you miss, I hope that Thomas isn't being a bother to you" he added just to toy with Thomas. "The pleasure is all mine sir knight, and Thomas has been nothing but a gentleman" Vanessa said blushing slightly. This answer brought a _"shows you for questioning me" _grin to Thomas' face.

"I'm glad to hear that, well if you two will excuse me, I have some business that I need to take care before my shift tonight" Brent said excusing himself from the two. "Very well, I will see you tonight then" Thomas answered with a smile as he started to lead Vanessa around the castle.

_"That's it. I will tell Thomas that I'm going to meet a woman tomorrow night, but once again how do I keep him from asking Francis or Yuri to trade shifts with me trying to help me out?" _Brent thought as he continued to walk toward the castle gates.

All of sudden he stopped just before he passed through the gates into the town, "I've got it, I know how to do it" he yelled as the thought hit him, earning him a couple sideways glares from the guards.

_"I'll tell him that I'll bring her back with me so he can meet her, he wouldn't pass up a change to meet a beautiful woman. Now all I have to do is find a woman mercenary that will help me. I bet I can find one in that seedy bar the Last Chance back in the corner of the Eastern wall." _Brent thought as he started to walk through the city.

"I can't believe she beat me. A woman beat me. That's not supposed to happen" Yuri stammered on as he sat in the barracks with Fujin and Seifer. _ "How long is he going to go on about Quistis beating him, shit he acts like a woman could never beat him. If Seifer wouldn't get upset I would show Yuri that there are other women that can beat him as well." _Fujin thought as she watched Yuri with a tired eye. Seifer saw the expression on Fujin's face and knew that she was getting to the point that she wasn't going to quietly listen to Yuri carry on much longer without going off herself._ "I don't know how well Yuri would take it if two women beat him in the same day; I better put an end to his complaining" _Seifer thought.

"Yuri, Quistis has been trained since she was young to be the personal guard to the royal family, don't feel too bad about it. She is very good at what she does take my word for it" Seifer told him hoping that it would soothe him for now. "How would you know, have you ever fought her?" Yuri asked defensively.

_"Of course not, I try not to make enemies out of my allies. Not to mention the fact that Rinoa wouldn't let me challenge her. I'm not sure if she was stopping me for my sake or Quistis' sake though, I guess I'll never know." _Seifer thought.

"Yes, I have fought her before" Seifer lied receiving a strange look from Fujin who knew better. "You did? What happened when you fought her?" Yuri asked perking up for the first time as he looked for comfort. _"If Seifer, the strongest fighter in the order of the Soldiers of Light, lost to her as well that means that I'm not as poor a fight as I think" _Yuri rationalized.

"Well, it was a hard fight but in the end" Seifer said pausing just to draw out Yuri pained anticipation, "I lost just like you, so don't feel so bad."

"Why don't you go out in the training yard and get in a good work out before dinner, the harder you train the more prepared you'll be for the next round between you two" Seifer told him. "That's a good idea, I'll see you two at dinner" Yuri said grabbing his sword and running out the door. _"That's right the next time I won't under estimate her and it'll be a different out come" _Yuri thought as he left.

"Why did you tell him that, you've never fought Quistis in your life, Rinoa wouldn't allow it. Besides he could train all day every day and never be able to match Quistis' speed with those whips" Fujin said looking straight at Seifer.

"If I didn't tell him, then he would have been in here all day complaining about losing to her and I could see how irritating it was to you. So I told him a little white lie, shit it's not like he doesn't need to be training anyway , so no harm done" Seifer said giving Fujin an arrogant smirk. Despite herself Fujin smiled, "thank you" was all she said.

Walking down the narrow back allies of the city Brent made his way to the seedier side of the city. This area mainly contained pubs, inns, and brothels; this was where black market trading and mercenaries could be hired for a fine price.

The dingy wooden sign for the Last Chance pub hung from the Eastern wall of the city, the Last Chance pub was the only building that been built into the wall of the city right behind a corner guard tower. Brent walked into the pub and immediately received several glances from the patrons, as he glanced around he couldn't help but notice the glances. _"What seems to be their problem, and why do they keep starring at me?" _he wondered as he made his way to the bar.

"What will you have?" came a gruff voice from behind the bar. Brent looked up to be greeted by a large man with sandy hair. "I'll have an ale" Brent replied, the bartender filled a mug with dark brown liquid from a barrel.

Placing a couple copper coins on the bar Brent picked the mug up and took a quick sip from it. Lowering the mug he motioned for the bartender to come over "I need some information" he told the bartender. "That will cost you" the bartender replied as he continued to wipe out a mug. "How much?" Brent inquired. "Well, that depends on the kind of information you want and how reliable you want it to be" the bartender told him.

Reaching into the coin purse strapped on his belt Brent produced a handful of silver coins "what will this get me" he asked. The bartender smiled as he put the mug he had been wiping down to sweep the coins into his hand "anything you want to know" he told Brent.

"Good, I'm looking for a woman" Brent told him. "That's easy try the brothel across the street they have all kinds of women, I'm sure you'll be able to find one you like" he told him.

"No, I'm not looking for a whore I'm looking for a female mercenary" Brent told him a little annoyed at his answer. The bartender eyed Brent curiously "what for?" the bartender asked, "that's between me and the mercenary, now do you know of one or not" Brent said a little short.

The bartender took a moment just watching Brent, _"what does a Soldier of Light want with a mercenary especially a female one I'm not sure about this, but I'll help him out" _the bartender thought. Breaking from his thoughts he motioned toward the end of the bar with his head. Brent followed his motion with his eyes and saw a red head sitting there quietly.

"Thank you" Brent said getting up from his seat with his mug in hand, the bartender just nodded as he turned around dumping the coins in the mug into a pouch.

As he started to reach the end of the bar Brent finally got a good look at the woman sitting there. She had fiery red hair that covers one side of her face but was pulled behind her shoulder on the other side. She was wearing tight fitting black pants with black heeled boots. Her top was a dark purple with plunging neckline cut out in the front that would tempt any man she would happen to encounter. The long sleeves of her top were open with crisscrossing pattern from her shoulder to her wrist. She was absolutely breathtaking which was what confused Brent _"how can a woman like this be a mercenary? It can't be possible" _he thought to himself but proceeded all the same.

"I understand that you might be interested in a job" Brent said as he sat on the stool next to the red headed woman. "That depends" she said. "On what," Brent asked.

"The job and how much it pays" she told him. Brent wasn't about to talk about the job within the bar so he put his mug down "if your interested in the job follow me".

He stood up headed out of the bar. The red headed woman watched him for a moment _"what does a Soldier of Light need with a mercenary? But then I'm interested in finding out what the job is. What the hell I'll give him a chance to explain it to me" _she thought as she stood up to follow.

Once outside she saw Brent standing at the entrance of a warehouse, when he caught sight of her he walked inside. She walked down to the warehouse and entered the building searching for the man she had followed in with her hand on the hilt of her sword not completely trusting him. _"If this is a trap I'll kill him first then make any others regret that they followed his orders"_ she thought as she walked down the warehouse.

"Good, you came and I see you're a little untrusting of me" Brent said. "Well, its not every day that a Soldier of Light tries to hire a mercenary" she told him questioningly. "How did you know I was of the Order of Light?" he asked a little off guard. "Your kidding right?" she asked amazed by his own stupidity, but his silence told her he wasn't joking "your wearing the uniform of a Soldier of Light" she told him pointing at the crest on his chest.

Brent looked down _"that would explain why people were starring at me in the pub" _he thought as his gazed moved up from his uniform to her.

"Alright, but that means nothing. I need a mercenary to help me tomorrow night and that is the truth" he told her. "What's happening tomorrow night that you need a hire a merc, why don't you just get some of your soldier buddies to help you?" she asked.

"I can't ask them because I'm going to aid a group that's against them" he told her. Now her curiosity was peaked "okay, so what's the job?" she asked. Smiling, Brent turned to make sure no one was around "how do you feel about sorcery?" he asked her.

She didn't want to let him know how much detested that group of woman _"if he knows how much I hate them it might drop the price of the job because he'll think that I'll do it for less" _she thought. "Well, I've had my problems with them so their not my favorite people, why?" she asked.

"Because I'm going to aid a group in assassinating the Sorceress Rinoa" he told her. "I know that there are many people that dislike the sorceress but isn't it your job to protect this one, why would you go against your oath to her?" she asked.

"Because I have no love or hate for her, I have watched men die trying to kill her and to save her. So I decided that I wasn't going to just hand my life over to her so easily to be a pawn in this game. That was when I met General Caraway and he offered to make me a wealthy man if I aided him in his cause. So I chose to be rich and alive rather than poor and dead, so he is sending a group of men that I'm to help to get into the castle and kill the Sorceress Rinoa tomorrow night" he explained to her.

"Then what do you need me for?" she asked. "The changing of the castle guard is an hour after I'm supposed to relieve the guard at her room" he started until she cut him off. "Wait, castle guard… you mean in Straum Castle? Going in there is suicide" she screamed.

"It's not suicide if you help me. I have a plan to get the group in and out without being detected but I have to have your help" Brent told her. "You don't have to fight the guards. Hell, if it all works as I have planned you won't even have to pull your sword at all" he explained.

"Then what do you need me for?" she asked. "I need you to act as if you're my date for the night. That way the younger guard, that I will be relieving wont ask someone to change shifts with me" he explained.

"You just want me to act like your date to distract the guard so that you can kill him without him sounding the alarm?" she said. Brent nodded "exactly" he said. "And how much will this job pay for me following you into Straum Castle and acting like your date" she asked.

"I'll pay you twenty pieces of gold and thirty pieces of silver for your part and for the danger you'll be under within the castle" he told her. She eyed him for a minute _"that is a lot of money to take part in this job even if it's a small part, but its within the castle that's not exactly the kinda place I want to be found at night during an alarm" _she thought for moment.

"Very well, I'll aid you in your group's raid into Straum" she finally agreed. "When do you want me?" "Excellent," said Brent "I'll meet you tomorrow morning at the gates leading out of the city on Harvest Road to meet the group being sent in".

"Agreed" she said as she turned to leave but stopped suddenly "by the way what's your name?" Brent asked. "Oh, my name is Trinity Lorraine" she told him. _"Trinity Lorraine, I've heard that name before but where. Oh my God that's the name of the assassin called the Moon's Tear" _he thought as he watched her leave.

As Trinity left she looked toward the sky _"I'll keep my pledge to avenge you mother, father, by beloved… I won't quit until every last damned sorceress is dead and buried" _her mind swore as she walked away.

The wind picked up as if it was responding to her promise blowing her hair away from the side of her face. As her hair swept away from her face a mark of a cross beside her eye was revealed to no one but the early evening sky.

Brent just watched as the mysterious mercenary left the warehouse as he tried to remember the stories that he had heard about her. _"If I remember correctly she received the name Moon's Tear because her whole family was killed during a sorceress' night raid on her village. After the raid she shed one tear for each of the loved ones she lost and has never shed a tear since" _he recalled.

"Outstanding I've just recruited one of the most deadly female assassin's as my trump card in case something goes wrong" Brent said quietly to himself. Turning like Trinity he made his way out of the warehouse, to return to the others before they became suspicious of his absence.

A cloud of dust spread across the plains towards Timber as a group of assassins rode as hard as they could toward their target. Drake looked back at his men as they spurred their horses on _"this is the second time I've been sent to Timber on a job" _he thought to himself.

The man next to Drake looked over, "sir, many of the men are new but this is the second time that we've been to Timber" he said to Drake. Drake looked over at him and nodded "your right and both times we have received help from someone on the inside. Fallan, it's just too bad that we've lost so many men since the first. They should be here when we finally get to end this and kill that little bitch for the General" Drake told him.

Fallan nodded "your right Sir, they should have had a chance to see us put an end to her life just like we did her mother's" he said to Drake. They snapped the reigns of their horses and lead the group in a hurried gallop toward their set destiny even though they where unaware of the true destiny set out for them.

"Squall, there is no way that we'll catch them. How are we going to stop Drake?" Zell asked following closely behind Squall. "If I have learned anything about Drake it's the way that he likes to work. He would much rather attack at the least expected time or when a person would have the fewest guards around them" Squall started.

"Okay, but remember that he has help from a member of her guards. He could get Drake and his men in at any time" Irvine told them. "That's true but I get the feeling that their insider doesn't want to blow his cover. I think that he'll try to carry this out at night when there are fewer people and guards to possibly see him and Drake" Zell responded.

"Zell has a valid point. This traitor will not risk his own life for them. He's doing this for money, not for their ideas or cause, so I think that he will want to bring Drake in at night that's how we'll gain ground on them" Squall explained.

"What do you mean, gain ground on them?" Irvine asked. "He has a point Squall she has a traitor watching over her at all times, at best this is a wager" Zell said.

"True, but this is a wager I'm willing to make because it's the only one that I have to make at this point" Squall told them. "And why are you making such a risky wager with not only her life but yours as well. I mean we might not even have a chance to get there in time to stop this and we have already turned Ultimecia against us when we left camp" Irvine asked even though he already had a good idea of the answer.

Squall thought for a minute on what Irvine had just asked him. "_Why am I throwing away my old alliances for one I don't even have yet?" _he asked himself. But as he thought an image of her large brown eyes appeared in his mind _"they were like warm chocolate orbs and so pure even when they were filled with fear for her life she showed no ill will or hatred. How could anyone like that cause others harm? So how can I be the one that is destined to bring her harm? " _he thought to himself.

"Because its not my destiny to be the one to cause or allow her to be harmed. I will choose my own part in this chess game. No one will dictate to me what piece to be or what part I will take, if that means leaving behind the army I have been with for two years for a sorceress that I really don't know anything about so be it. Before the curtain falls on this play I will find the truth" Squall told them.

Irvine just smiled as he and Zell looked at each other _"he has found what he has been looking for ever since he left Winhill. A reason to fight and carry on other than revenge"_ Irvine told Zell without even saying a word. Zell just smiled back and nodded as the three pushed forward toward Timber and their new roles in this game.


End file.
